Legislative business at the Embu County Assembly has been paralysed for most of the week after some MCAs failed to attend plenary and committee sittings.
The move left the House unable to raise the required quorum.
The assembly failed to transact business in all four scheduled sittings, with proceedings repeatedly adjourned after the required number of ward representatives failed to turn up.
Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Swaleh acknowledged the quorum challenges but played down suggestions of a deliberate go-slow, saying such interruptions were not unusual in legislative institutions.
“The electorate is watching. As leaders, we must at all times uphold integrity and show commitment to the people who elected us,” Swaleh said.
The Kirimari MCA, however, urged his colleagues to take their responsibilities seriously, warning that residents were closely watching their performance and expected them to discharge their legislative and oversight duties.
A spot-check at the assembly precincts showed only a handful of MCAs reporting for work, with some spending time in the Members’ Lounge instead of joining proceedings in the debating chamber.
The disruption comes weeks after a bitter dispute over the reconstitution of Assembly committees exposed divisions between the majority and minority sides.
Minority-aligned MCAs walked out of the chamber on August 26 after Speaker Josiah Thiriku allowed debate on a report proposing changes to the composition of committees.
The members questioned the process used to prepare and table the report, with the confrontation exposing disagreements within the House.
The dissenting MCAs accused the assembly leadership of using the reshuffle to sideline members perceived to be opposed to Governor Cecily Mbarire.
Majority leaders rejected the allegations and proceeded with the debate before the House eventually ratified the report.
The changes have significant implications for the assembly because committees undertake much of the detailed legislative and oversight work, including scrutinising county programmes, examining reports and following up on the implementation of resolutions.
The latest fallout adds to previous instances of absenteeism in the House.
In November 2025, assembly business stalled after MCAs missed sittings, with the absenteeism at the time linked to campaigns during the Mbeere North parliamentary by-election.
The assembly was forced to adjourn after failing to raise quorum, while an attempt to summon absent members using the quorum bell was hampered by a malfunction.
The latest disruption has also affected committee work, with some meetings reportedly unable to proceed after members failed to attend sessions scheduled to consider matters requiring legislative scrutiny.
There are also allegations that some MCAs have increasingly been accompanying senior county politicians at development project launches and other public functions as they position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Some members who reported to the assembly have allegedly avoided plenary sessions by turning up in casual clothing, including jeans and T-shirts, despite the formal dress expected in the chamber.
The disruption has reportedly extended to the preparation of House business, with some Order Papers for previous sittings containing little or no business, leaving the few MCAs who entered the chamber with limited matters to transact.
The latest impasse comes as MCAs begin positioning themselves for the 2027 General Election, adding another layer to the political divisions already visible within the Assembly.
Despite the disagreements, Swaleh maintained members must remain committed to residents and ensure political differences do not interfere with assembly business.
