The decision on whether the impeachment of Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru will be heard by an eleven-member committee or plenary will be known tomorrow when the Senate finally takes a vote.
The eleven-member committee if approved is expected to investigate the charges leveled against the governor and report to the Senate within 10 days.
If that will not be the case the Senate will designate a sitting where Kirinyaga County Assembly representatives together with their lawyers will be called upon to appear before the plenary as well as the accused governor who will also be allowed to come with her lawyers to counter accusations leveled against her.
If the county assembly fails to convince senators during the plenary with the evidence adduced, then the impeachment will be dismissed but if senators are convinced, they will uphold the impeachment through voting.
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According to Article 182 of the constitution, the deputy will assume office as the county governor.
Waiguru was impeached on Tuesday over allegations of abuse of office and gross violation of the constitution.
The motion was backed by 23 Members of County Assembly – MCAs out of 33.
Waiguru termed the issues raised by MCAs as baseless and a waste of valuable time that would be better spent handling the serious impacting the County.
“The issues raised in the motion are baseless, and a waste of valuable time that would be better spent handling the serious impacting the County, including the Covid-19 crisis,” said Waguru.
“Their intent is merely to bully me to achieve nefarious and personalized political objectives,” she added.
Waiguru noted that she obtained a court order from High Court stopping any proceedings by the Assembly on the impeachment motion until issues that she raised with the court were determined.
However, High Court Judge Weldon Korir Thursday 11/06/2020 dismissed a case filed by impeached Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru that challenged her ouster.
In his ruling, Justice Korir noted that the MCAs were satisfied that the Covid-19 pandemic had been contained in the county and they were free to proceed with the impeachment motion without seeking the authority of the court.
“I have carefully looked at the pleadings of the parties and oral submissions it’s clear to me that the respondents did not violate the orders issued by this court on April 7 when impeaching the petitioner,” the judge said on Thursday.
Judge Korir had barred the MCAs from tabling the motion in April because Waiguru had argued that because of Covid-19, she could not leave her home.
Also read https://www.kbc.co.ke/kirinyaga-governor-ann-waiguru-impeached/
https://www.kbc.co.ke/blow-for-waiguru-as-court-refuses-to-nullify-ouster/