Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya

A tense silence descended upon the National Assembly as Members of Parliament from Homa Bay, Millie Odhiambo, Peter Kaluma, and Omondi Caroli locked horns in a fierce battle of wits.

The chamber held its breath, each word and gesture charged with a sense of urgency and intellectual prowess, as these political heavyweights engaged in a verbal showdown that captivated all.

During a parliamentary session on Wednesday, June 4, Suba North MP Millie criticised Homa Bay Town MP Kaluma for bragging about pursuing International Law.

She pointed out that both she and Suba South MP Caroli had also studied Environmental Law at the master's level, but did not boast about it in Parliament.

"I can also boast that I and honourable Caroli were students of Environmental Law, but do I say? "Millie questioned.

Kaluma then stood up and clarified that, although he studied Public International Law, he was the first lawyer in the country to specialise in the Law of the Sea.

"So Honourable Millie should confine herself to environmental issues, not knowing that I am a specialist in that area," Kaluma bragged

Caroli interrupted, claiming that Kaluma was misleading the House by asserting he was the first to study the Law of the Sea. Millie then stood, asserting that she is a senior lawyer.

This is when Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah remarked that he had noticed the MPs from Homa Bay were engaged in a battle of wits.

" I just want to inform the House that Honourable Kaluma, Millie, and Caroli are all from Homa Bay County. You hear the debate is about the Law of the Sea, Environmental Law, and the battle of wits among great men and women, great scholars from Homa Bay County," Ichung’wah said. "Therefore, the Law of the Sea and Environmental Law converge, whether it's in Homa Bay or at the National Assembly. It's converging, and we all move together, happy," Ichung'wah said

At that moment, Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie stood up with a differing opinion, arguing that the ongoing discussion in Parliament was out of order, as there were more pressing issues to address at that time.

"I have a different opinion. On an afternoon when we have very serious issues to transact. I wanted you to find this debate totally out of order, because the display here is well-known in this country. The tyranny of brains from Nyanza and it has been displayed fully. We know we have some fine brains from that area," Kiarie said.

This comes weeks after a dramatic incident in Parliament, where two female lawmakers were at the centre of a heated physical altercation on Tuesday, April 8.

The lawmakers involved were Umulkheir Harun, a nominated member of Parliament from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and Falhada Iman, a representative in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

In widely circulated videos, the two were seen exchanging sharp words before their argument escalated into a full-blown physical confrontation, drawing the attention of fellow legislators and security personnel.

Source: TUKO.co.ke