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The Senate Business Committee has proposed 11 members to hear and investigate the impeachment motion against Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.
The 11 Senators proposed to form the committee are:
- Abshiro Halake
- Dr.Michael Mbito
- Mwangi Paul Githiomi
- Beth Mugo
- Anuar Loitiptip
- Philip Mpaayei
- Cleophas Malalah
- Beatrice Kwamboka
- Stewart Madzayo
- Judith Pareno
- Moses Kajwang’
Background
On June 9, 23 out of the 33-member County Assembly voted in favour of Governor Waiguru’s removal.
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Four MCAs abstained from voting, whereas six were absent from the House, said County Assembly Speaker Anthony Waweru.
A two-thirds vote composition (22) was needed to ensure Waiguru’s ouster bid succeeds.
The impeachment motion against Waiguru was tabled in the Kirinyaga County Assembly on March 31, 2020, by MCA for Mutira Ward, David Kinyua Wangui.
Wangui accused Waiguru of, among other wrongdoings, abuse of office, gross misconduct, and violation of the Constitution of Kenya.
Senate Litmus Test
The effort to impeach Waiguru is proving to be a tough test for the Senate, with claims that some members are out to rescue her despite the evidence to be presented against her.
The governor’s impeachment is morphing into a test for the political truce between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition chief Raila Odinga because the war against corruption is one of the central pillars of their political relationship.
The Waiguru saga could also thrust the President and Raila into an awkward position considering the governor has been a key ally in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) through which the two leaders have been highlighting the fight against theft of public resources.
While a senator close to Uhuru told People Daily that the Head of State remained ambivalent on Waiguru’s fate, Raila on Monday rubbished claims that ODM had resolved to save the governor, effectively placing the ball on the senators’ court.
“The things that should happen at the Senate (Waiguru’s impeachment) belong to senators and I cannot purport to discuss them. It is for the senators to do what they have been mandated to do by Kenyans. They should ensure justice is done,” said Raila.
“There is no rescuing, it’s for the individual person (Waiguru) to rescue themselves if they will be able to based on the issues that have been presented.”
As things stand, senators are caught between a rock and a hard place; they are damned if they do, damned if they do not.
If they make a decision in favour of the controversial governor on political considerations driven by the Handshake instead of evidence, they will be accused of failing in their oversight role.
If they impeach the governor, the Handshake coalition in the Senate could be accused of throwing one of their key members under the bus.
They might also be regarded as failures for allowing a group linked to Deputy President William Ruto, which wants the governor to go home, carry the day.
