Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru’s fate now hangs in the balance after the members of the County Assembly approved a motion to impeach her.
The MCAs accused the governor of abuse of office and gross misconduct and claimed she is not fit to head the county.
The motion of removal of Kirinyaga County governor by impeachment was moved by Mutira ward MCA David Kinyua Wangui in a sitting that was attended by all the 33 members of the county assembly.
Wangui said the county assembly resolved to remove Waiguru from the office of the County governor of Kirinyaga pursuant to article 181.
He said the governor is in gross violation of the Constitution of Kenya by failing to deliver the annual state of the county address to the county assembly.
“The governor has deliberately refused, failed or neglected to deliver the state of the county address for the financial year 2018-2019, failure to which amounts to gross violation of the County Government Act,” he said.
Waguru was also accused of violating Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015 by usurping the powers of the Accounting officer and establishing an irregular tender evaluation committee composed of her partisan staff namely Pauline Kamau and Wayne Gichira.
The two, Wangui said, take direct instructions from the governor and alternate as chair persons of all major tender evaluation committees awarding tenders to the governors preferred bidders.
He said governors said action of interfering with the constitution of the tender evaluation committees is meant to compromise the integrity of the process and the same is driven by nepotism, favouritism in complete disregard of the provisions of the law.
The MCA said the tender for upgrading Kagumo market was awarded to Joames Investment limited without following the due process but implemented by a different company Master Rock Construction Company.
Waiguru was also accused of receiving allowances amounting to Sh.10 million for alleged foreign travel which she never undertook.
The money the members heard was paid to the governor’s personal account in the name of Anne Mumbi Waiguru account number 180290174860 held at Equity bank in a span of a single week.
The other ills facing governor Waiguru includes her disregard to consult the Salaries and Remuneration commission over payment of salaries to the chairman of Kirinyaga Investment Development Authority.
“The County Public Service board directed that the said board members should not be paid until their salaries have been approved by the SRC, but the governor instructed otherwise and have continued to have the board paid outside the IFMIS and County government payroll.” he told the assembly.
Wangui further said the governor approved payment of an imprest of Sh 14 million to one Francis Muriithi Kariuki which is yet to be accounted for.
Waiguru is also accused of violating the right to health of the people of Kirinyaga County by causing the health sector to run in disarray and into a deplorable state through sacking of health employees when they were involved in a strike.
The motion will be debated upon expiry of seven days from today with the standing orders providing that the speaker may invite the governor to the Assembly before a vote on the motion is taken.
Save for Kabare Kangai ward representatives all other elected MCAs have appended their signatures of the removal of governor Waiguru.
By Irungu Mwangi
House Tables Waiguru Impeachment Motion
