Even MPs Get Locked Out? A Taste of What Ordinary Kenyans Face

Who says only ordinary Kenyans get locked out of their homes over rent arrears? This week, some of Kenya’s top lawmakers learned the hard way that no one is above the landlord’s wrath, not even Members of Parliament.

On Monday morning, MPs streaming into the iconic Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) were met not with open doors, but locked gates and stern security guards. Their sin? Parliament’s failure to pay rent for the offices housed in the KICC building. And the KICC management wasn’t playing around.

The drama unfolded as KICC took the bold step of locking out Parliament staff and MPs due to unpaid rent running into millions. According to reports, the Public Service Commission (PSC) which is responsible for handling payments on behalf of Parliament, had delayed settling the outstanding bill. Despite pleas for more time, the KICC management stood firm. No pay, no entry.

Among those caught in the mess were prominent lawmakers like Kiharu MP and Budget Committee Chair Ndindi Nyoro, Alego Usonga’s Sam Atandi, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, and Nyandarua Senator John Methu. These are not your average walk-in citizens, yet they were all denied access, just like any tenant who has missed rent one too many times.

Parliament has reportedly already paid Ksh.134 million and claims the remaining Ksh.50 million shouldn’t be reason enough to lock out the country’s lawmakers. But KICC isn’t budging, saying the debt must be cleared in full before the offices are reopened.

Parliament staff weren’t spared either. Many were sent home, their desks abandoned and parking slots eerily empty. It was a stark reminder that even the mighty can be humbled when financial obligations aren’t met.

This incident shines a spotlight on a reality that many Kenyans know too well: the stress and shame of being locked out due to rent. But this time, the tables have turned, and it’s the very people who make the laws feeling the sting.

So next time you’re facing a landlord’s threats, remember, even your MP might be standing outside a locked door, just like you.

By Yockshard Enyendi