Nyandarua County residents have expressed mixed reactions to the planned impeachment of Governor Dr. Kiarie Badilisha through a motion prepared by Mirangine County Assembly Member Samwel Mathu.
In the Motion, the MCA has cited numerous allegations that if passed could see the first-time governor sent home.
However, the move has elicited mixed reactions from residents who have expressed their concerns over the intention to impeach the Governor.
They claim that such a move would derail meaningful development and that its timing was also wrong, as it comes just a few days after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s immediate impeachment.
At the same time a section of residents have accused the MCA of colluding with external forces to ouster the governor in a bid to settle political differences.
In the notice of Special Motion by Samwel Mathu who also serves as the Vice Chairman of the County Assembly Service Board, the MCA notes that the governor has committed a gross violation of the Constitution or any other Law according to Article 181 (1) (a) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
He says the Governor has interfered with the recruitment and deployment of county staff against the law, noting that “It is Common knowledge that Partisan Staff as provided for by SRC to facilitate the operations in the Office of the Governor, are not subjected to any Competitive Recruitment Process; whereas, the Station Revenue Heads / Officers are competitively Recruited within the County Public Service and with Clear Qualifications, Terms and Conditions of Service.
He adds that “the Governor has Illegally Hired Staff (including Retired Civil Servants), that Continue to Draw Salaries from the County Funds without going through the Legal Processes and hence Leading to Bloated Wage Bill that eats into the Development Expenditures. This affects and reduces the services expected to trickle down to the Public,”
The MCA further notes that there are serious reasons to believe that Governor Moses Kiarie Ndirangu alias Badilisha has committed crime under Section 47A of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act; and Part II of the Leadership and Integrity Act; a).
The Governor on several occasions has engaged in some Criminal and Corruption Activities of demanding for Money (i.e., 10% of the Tender Amount) from the County Suppliers and Service Providers in exchange of payment for Supplies and Services offered to the County.
However, for it to go through for debate by the County Assembly, the Motion requires at least 13 MCAs out of the 41 members to assent their signatures for approval by the Assembly’s House Business Committee (HBC) and then subjected for debate by the full House.
If it gets to this level, the Motion will need to be approved by at least 23 MCAs to impeach the Governor and the report forwarded to The Senate to facilitate the same.
By Antony Mwangi
