What should Honourable Members do when someone farts during plenary? For Kenyan lawmakers, the answer is to disrupt plenary and point fingers at each other.
Earlier this week, a Kenyan regional assembly turned into a kindergarten class after a lawmaker allegedly fouled the air. The lawmakers were caught on camera pointing fingers at each other, accusing one another of releasing the fart.
It appears every other lawmaker was willing to pretend as though nothing happened. But Julius Gaya could no longer bear to keep silent.
According to local reports, he disrupted plenary and drew the attention of the Speaker to the issue on ground.
"Honourable Speaker, one of us has polluted the air, and I know who it is," Julius Gaya reportedly told Homa Bay county assembly
As expected, the house was thrown into pandemonium as lawmakers began pointing fingers at one another.
The accused honourable of polluting the air was quick to reply, "I am not the one. I cannot do such a thing in front of my colleagues."
Before the distraction, the lawmakers engaged in a heated debate about market stalls.
In his response, the Speaker of the House, Edwin Kakach instructed members to step outside and take a break from the chamber. He then ordered officials to bring in air fresheners from his office to contain the foul smell.
"Bring in air fresheners to make it pleasant. Get whatever flavour you will find in any office, whether it's vanilla or strawberry. We cannot continue sitting in an environment that smells bad"; the BCC quoted him as saying.
However, the air fresheners was not supplied in the chamber house a situation which forced lawmakers to remain outside until the smell subsided.
The incident in Homa Bay County comes after members of Kenya's parliament in Nairobi dismissed a colleague for bringing her baby into a session.
Header Image Credit: World Bulletin