House adjourns on quorum hitch amid protest a year after Parliament storming » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 25 – The National Assembly was on Wednesday forced to adjourn its morning sitting prematurely due to a quorum hitch, in a session that coincided with the first anniversary of the dramatic Gen Z-led storming of Parliament.

The sitting, which commenced at 9.30 am, was abruptly adjourned at 11.45 am—nearly one and a half hours before the scheduled 1pm break—after it became apparent that there were too few Members of Parliament present to transact business.

The morning session was reserved for consideration of private members’ motions and bills, but with most sponsors absent, the House was unable to deliberate on six motions and four bills listed on the Order Paper.

Sources within Parliament revealed that only ten MPs were in attendance during the adjournment.

Temporary Speaker David Ochieng (Ugenya), who presided over the session, ordered the adjournment, citing the House’s inability to proceed in the absence of substantive members.

“Being fifteen minutes to midday, the House stands adjourned until 2:30 p.m. this afternoon,” Ochieng ruled.

‘Occupy Parliament’

The visibly empty chamber fueled speculation that lawmakers were spooked by potential protests, as the date marked one year since protesters under the #OccupyParliament banner stormed the precincts of the bicameral House—one of Kenya’s most heavily guarded institutions.

Youths demonstrating against the Finance Bill 2024 managed to breach Parliament’s perimeter after MPs passed the tax law, triggering unprecedented scenes of chaos.

Lawmakers fled for safety as protesters overwhelmed security barriers and gained access to the chambers.

The incident resulted in the deaths of at least four protesters and left several others with gunshot wounds as police tried to restore order.

Eyewitness accounts at the time recalled how the demonstrators, who had initially gathered along City Hall Way, charged up Parliament Road before breaking through the exterior gate near the Jomo Kenyatta Mausoleum.

Once inside, they split into groups and stormed the House in what became one of the darkest days in Kenya’s parliamentary history.

The National Assembly was sheduled to reconvene at 2.30 pm on Wednesday afternoon but it remained unclear if the sitting would proceed as planned.