A recent session of the National Assembly saw tempers flare as Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah clashed with Senator Bonny Khalwale during a discussion on the state of road safety in the country. The debate, meant to address growing concerns over the alarming rise in road accidents, quickly turned personal after Khalwale passionately pushed for urgent and radical reforms.
Known for his dramatic and emotive style, Khalwale proposed a number of aggressive measures, including banning certain categories of public service vehicles and launching nationwide crackdowns on non-compliant transport operators.
Ichung’wah, visibly annoyed by Khalwale’s approach, responded with a sharp and sarcastic comment that caught many in the House off guard. “If you want to be popular, go and sell ice cream,” he said, drawing both laughter and stunned silence from fellow lawmakers.
He didn’t stop there. He added that if Khalwale’s intention was to entertain the public rather than engage in serious policymaking, then perhaps he should consider a different path. “If your goal is to entertain and make people laugh, then perhaps politics is not your calling. Go where things are funny all the time you’ll find a crowd there.”
The exchange, captured on video and widely circulated online, quickly went viral. Kenyans reacted with mixed opinions. Some praised Ichung’wah for calling out what they saw as political theatrics and empty populism, while others felt he was too dismissive of genuine concerns raised by Khalwale. For many Kenyans, the road safety debate is a matter of life and death, and they expect their leaders to address it with the seriousness it deserves.
The session was supposed to explore ways to strengthen enforcement of traffic laws and improve public transport systems. But the heated back-and-forth shifted attention away from the core issues.
Despite the criticism, sources close to Khalwale say he is not backing down. He believes that his proposals, though unpopular among some lawmakers, reflect the urgency of the situation on the ground. He is said to be focused on pushing for more accountability and action from the government, especially in response to the rising number of lives lost on Kenyan roads.The incident has reignited debate about the conduct of leaders in Parliament and whether personal attacks are overshadowing important national discussions.
Many hope that the energy spent on political showdowns will instead be redirected toward real solutions that can save lives.
