Speaker of the Senate, Kenneth Lusaka, has received the motion of impeachment against Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.
In a June 9 letter written by Kirinyaga County Assembly Speaker Anthony Gathumbi, and addressed to Speaker of the Senate, Gathumbi said he had attached copies of the impeachment motion against the county chief and a roll call indicating how the MCAs voted in the Waiguru-removal bid.
“Pursuant to Section 33(2) of the County Government Act, I write to inform you that in its sitting held on the morning of Tuesday 9th June 2020, the County Assembly of Kirinyaga in a motion supported by twenty-three (23) members constituting over two-thirds of all members of the County Assembly, resolves to remove Hon. Anne Mumbi Waiguru from the office of the County Governor of Kirinyaga,” said Gathumbi in the letter, which has since been received by the Office of the Speaker of the Senate.
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“Herewith attached are: a copy of a roll call register of votes by Members of the County Assembly; and a copy of the motion containing the grounds for impeachment and annexures thereto,” added Gathumbi.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru was on Tuesday, June 9 impeached for gross misconduct, violation of the Constitution of Kenya and abuse of office.
Twenty three (23) out of the 33-member County Assembly voted in favour of Governor Waiguru’s removal.
Four (4) MCAs abstained from voting, whereas six were absent from the House, said County Assembly Speaker Anthony Gathumbi.
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.
In the lead-up to the voting for Waiguru ouster, the Mutira ward rep enjoyed support of at least 24 out of the 33 MCAs in Kirinyaga County.
Wangui alleged that Waiguru deliberately failed to submit county plans and policies to the County Assembly for approval.
He further claimed that Waiguru intentionally failed to issue the State of the County Address, “thus undermining the County assembly’s authority”.
The county chief is also accused of irregularly awarding tenders and buying a county vehicle without tendering, claims which the governor has since denied.
In April 2020, Waiguru moved to the High Court in Nairobi and successfully obtained a legal order suspending the tabling of the impeachment motion against her.
She has since vowed to sue the County Assembly Speaker for contempt of court after Anthony Gathumbi gave a greenlight for the MCAs to debate on the removal bid.
Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka is now expected to give a way forward in regard to senators sealing the fate of the embattled county boss.
The senators would decide whether the Waiguru ouster will be heard and determined by a special committee or the whole plenary.
According to Senate Standing Order 175, the impeachment ends at the committee level if it determines that the charges do not merit.
