Former MCA files petition to impeach Governor Sakaja over gross misconduct, abuse of office

Former MCA files petition to impeach Governor Sakaja over gross misconduct, abuse of office

Achar claims Sakaja abused his powers by allegedly hiring criminal gangs on June 17 to disrupt peaceful anti-government protests in Nairobi, saying the act violated the Constitution.

Former Korogocho MCA Maxwell Achar has filed a petition seeking the impeachment of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on the grounds of gross misconduct.

According to the petition, received on June 30 by Nairobi County Clerk Edward Gichana, Sakaja has reportedly neglected his constitutional duties, violated the principles of his office and demonstrated conduct deemed unfit for public service.

"We petition the Assembly, now to resolve to remove Johnson Sakaja (Herein referred to as the Nairobi County Governor) from the office of the County Governor of Nairobi City County, by way of impeachment pursuant to Article 181(1)(a)&(b) of the constitution of Kenya 2010, Section 33 of the County Government Act, 2012 and the County Assembly Standing Order No. 68 and 213," the petition reads.

Achar argues that Sakaja abused his constitutional powers by allegedly organising criminal gangs on June 17 to disrupt peaceful anti-government demonstrations within the city, noting that his actions violated constitutional articles.

"The governor through his office and personal assistant recruited, sponsored and financed, further deployed criminal gangs armed with crude weapons on June 17, 2025, to disrupt, terrorise, bully or to coerce by threats or violence and to maintain power of violence against lawful and peaceful protesters who were "peaceably and unarmed" picketing and demonstrating," Achar argued in the petition.

Criminal gangs

He also accused Sakaja of employing criminal gangs to illegally evict city tenants from county-owned houses. According to Achar, the evictions violated Gazette Notice No. 2728 of 2019, which waived all rent arrears owed on Nairobi County properties before April 30, 2019.

Achar maintains that Sakaja lied when he stated that affected tenants owed 15 years of rent, maintaining that after the waiver, the maximum possible arrears amounted to six years and not 15 as stated by the governor.

"And further in the contravening of the bill of rights, Human Rights Act 2011 and Article 43(1) on housing rights, the governor without adequate notice deployed criminal gangs in cooperation with a few county staff to carry out unlawful and illegal eviction of tenants in county houses and land without obtaining a court order," the former MCA stated.

The petition is in line with constitutional laws that dictate the public's right to petition County Assemblies on matters within their jurisdictions, including the removal of county officials.

As per procedure, the petition was first submitted to the County Assembly Clerk, who is required to forward it to the Speaker for formal presentation to the Assembly.

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