Why it's not yet 'uhuru' for Siaya deputy governor William Oduol
Siaya County Deputy Governor Dr William Oduol addressing the media at Parliament Buildings, Nairobi County on Monday, June 26, 2023 after the Senate voted against the charges against him.
Siaya County Assembly to petition court on the suitability of Deputy Governor (DG) William Oduol to hold public office after Senate saved him from impeachment.
This comes just hours after the Senate saved Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol from ouster.
The assembly has been subject of ridicule in the social media after Dr Oduol was reinstated.
“The house therefore resolves that a constitutional petition be filled by the County Assembly of Siaya, at the High Court of Kenya at Siaya, to find the Deputy Governor William Oduol unfit to hold a public office,” read part of the notice.
In the notice, signed by Ukwala MCA Peter Oduor, the assembly seeks to file a petition before a High court seeking to declare Dr Oduol unfit to hold a public office.
The assembly also intends to file a petition to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to “Investigate and establish that the Dr Oduol is culpable for violation of Article 10, and 232(1)(f) of the constitution as read with the Section 29 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012, Section 19 of the Public Office Ethics Act, 2003.”
On the findings of the 11-member senate Committee that found Dr Oduol culpable of the allegations that led to an impeachment motion passed unanimously against him, the assembly also intends to petition the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to probe him.
“Pursuant to findings of the report of the special committee of the senate on the proposed removal from office, by impeachment, of Dr Oduol, the assembly do petition the Director of Criminal Investigations to investigate and establish with view of Prosecution the role of the Deputy Governor in interfering with the procurement and Fertilizer contrary to Article 227 of the constitution as read with section 176(1)(d) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015,” it further stated.
The DCI would also probe the amount spent on renovation and purchase of furniture in the office of the Dr Oduol without budgetary allocations.
The Assembly, however, also seeks to compel the CEC Finance to stop payment of the contractors and the suppliers who renovated the office and supplied furniture respectively till probe is conducted and concluded.
Further, the house recommends that, “The office of the Deputy Governor be vacated together with the furniture to be preserved and never to be used till investigations are concluded; meanwhile Dr Oduol be given an alternative office.
The assembly also recommends that, pending investigations, Dr Oduol should not be assigned any duty by the governor as required by the Constitution until the investigations are concluded and report issued.
This might rub Dr Oduol in a negative way owing to the fact that the senators had already let him off the hook.
The two leaders Governor James Orengo and Dr Oduol have not been working together for months after their political love took a downward trajectory.
The MCAs passed a censor motion that received an overwhelming support from the house; all the 42 voted in favor.
Since the decision to impeach Dr Oduol was overturned by the senate, the social media platforms in Siaya have been abuzz with comments from members of the public.
“The MCAs have missed it this time round, we are tired of sycophancy. This serves them right,” wrote Veronica Nya Siaya on a whatsapp Group dabbed Siaya Manyien.
Sam Onyango wrote, “Of all the noises raised,Governor Orengo has not even made a single fire-back yet the noise owners have squealed more than new born babies.”
Susan Auma, “It is sad that as Orengo and Oduol are fighting, Nya Wang’aya (referring to Gladys Wanga, Homa Bay Governor) is building stadium and equipping hospitals with drugs; Anyang Nyong’o and Ochilo Ayako are busy developing their counties.”
