A total of 31 Members of the Kericho County Assembly (MCAs), on Wednesday afternoon unanimously voted to impeach Kericho Governor Eric Mutai accusing him of gross misconduct and abuse of office among other issues.
During the session, 16 MCAs deemed to be in support of the embattled governor were absent for the proceedings that ignored a court order that had temporarily halted the impeachment.
MCAs presented four counts of accusations against Dr Mutai including gross violation of the constitution, gross violation of the national and county laws, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.
The motion tabled last week by Sigowet Ward MCA Kiprotich Rogony stated that the governor was involved in illegal appointment, unlawful dismissal, and transfers of staff adding that he was in gross violation of the Integrity and Leadership Act.
“The governor has been operating with impunity as though he is above the law. On the second day of being sworn into office, the governor led a mob to invade a private land owned by one Mr Josiah Kiplangat Kogo, within Kericho town and tore down the fence,” said Rogony while presenting his motion before the Kericho County Speaker Dr Patrick Mutai.
Phillip Rono, the leader of majority, led a group of MCAs and issued a presser after the MCAs voted to impeach Governor Mutai alleging that the County government of Kericho only collected a paltry Sh 399 million against the projected target of Sh1.2 billion.
Rono decried massive leakage of revenue that was not accounted for, saying Kericho was the only County in the country that does not have a digital revenue collection system having reverted to manual collection after the existing one expired in November last year.
By Dominic Cheres and Kibe Mburu
