Nyamira County assembly speaker Enock Okero, has been impeached by Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).
After a rigorous debate by the MCAs at the assembly about the motion of the speaker’s impeachment in the county assembly on Thursday morning, 23 MCAs voted to support the impeachment motion meeting the two third rule threshold to oust the already suspended speaker from office.
The motion of impeachment was moved by Kiabonyoru ward MCA Vincent Benecha and seconded by Bomwagamo ward MCA Julius Nyankana citing gross violation of the constitution and other laws where he alluded to gross misconduct.
The impeached speaker was accused of gross violation of Section 36 of the County Assembly Service ACT 2017 by failing to prepare and table a report on the County Assembly Service board’s operations.
Okero was also accused of violation of ACT 27 (4) and (5) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 by discriminating against special elect members of the County assembly by denying them one partisan staff contrary to provisions by commission on revenue allocation.
On his defense, the impeached speaker explained that he held a meeting with the nominated MCAs explained to them the County’s assembly’s predicament of a blotted wage bill predicament because they already have more staff that they are allowed to deploy besides there was no space to house the new staff since the Assembly headquarters is still under construction.
Another accusation was gross violation of section 12 (3) (c) of the County Assembly Service Act 2017 by retaining two members of the County Assembly Service Board despite having been recalled by their nominating/appointing political parties/coalition.
MCA Benecha accused of the speaker of gross misconduct by abetting and orchestrating hooliganism in the County Assembly by hiring goons to stir mayhem and violence causing harm and endangering the lives of honorable members of the assembly and their staff and destroying infrastructure within the county assembly premises while he was on suspension.
The speaker responded saying he was only obeying a court order issued to him to report to the assembly on the said date and due to public demand addressed members of the public within the assembly premises denying that those accompanying him were not goons as alleged.
During the voting exercise, 11 members of the County assembly abstained from voting though they actively participated in the impeachment debate. After the acting speaker chair announced the results after voting, he further directed that the County assembly will not conduct any business in the house until a substantive speaker has been nominated, vetted and approved to hold the post.
By Deborah Bochere
