Notice of impeachment motion against Nyamira Governor Nyaribo tabled
Nyamira County Governor Amos Nyaribo when he appeared before the Senate County Public Investment Committee at Bunge Towers, Nairobi on September 5, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Last Friday, the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds criticised him over his inability to explain irregularities in road construction projects, hotel allowances, and other suspect expenditures of the Nyamira Municipality.
- For instance, he was unable to tell the Senate what a 16-day conference, that allegedly happened in Kisumu and attended by officials of his administration and money incurred, was all about.
Nyamira Governor Amos Kimwomi Nyaribo is walking a tightrope after a notice of motion for his impeachment was tabled in the county assembly on Tuesday.
Wiper party’s nominated Member of County Assembly (MCA) Evans Juma Matunda wants the governor kicked out over alleged gross violation of the Constitution of Kenya and other laws, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.
House Speaker Enock Okero adjourned the Tuesday sitting after the notice of motion was tabled.
This is the second time a motion to remove Mr Nyaribo from office by way of impeachment is being tabled on the floor of the assembly. The first attempt flopped in October 2023.
Mr Nyaribo survived the first impeachment after 16 MCAs voted for it against 18 who opposed.
“It (the motion) can only be brought back to the House after six months,” Speaker Okero said then.
The governor had faced 12 charges— including illegal recruitment of staff, failure to remit statutory dues, favouritism, and nepotism.
The then motion mover, Esise Ward MCA Josiah Mang’era, unsuccessfully demonstrated to the majority of his colleagues that Mr Nyaribo had violated Article 8(1)(a)(b)(c) of the Constitution of Kenya, Section 33 of the County Governments Acts (2012) and Standing Order No.62 of the Nyamira County Assembly.
He was accused of bypassing the Assembly when he decided to suspend the secretary of the Nyamira County Public Service Board in the middle of active recruitment.
MCAs elected on Nyaribo's United Progressive Alliance (UPA) party, who are the majority, mobilised against his impeachment.
Nyamira County has 20 elected and 15 nominated MCAs: UPA (Six), Orange Democratic Movement (four), Jubilee (two), and Ford Kenya (two).
Elected and nominated members give UPA a majority of nine members. The UPA lost its majority leader Elijah Osiemo in a gruesome road accident.
Wiper, United Democratic Alliance, Amani National Congress, PPOK and KNC have one member each.
When the impeachment failed, Mr Nyaribo accused six politicians of the attempts to remove him from office.
“There was a lot of external influence and we have evidence from people I beat in the gubernatorial contest, an MP and an aspiring governor…Six people raised money to persuade MCAs to start the impeachment process,” the governor had remarked.
He went on: “It was purely political”. Governor Nyaribo is lately a man under siege, always limping from crisis to crisis.
He was one of the 47 governors, who endured bruising Gen Z led protests that wanted him accountable over nepotism, and corruption, among other grievances.
Last Friday, the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds criticised him over his inability to explain irregularities in road construction projects, hotel allowances, and other suspect expenditures of the Nyamira Municipality.
For instance, he was unable to tell the Senate what a 16-day conference, that allegedly happened in Kisumu and attended by officials of his administration and money incurred, was all about.
