Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo pleads not guilty to all three impeachment charges in Senate trial
The governor is accussed of employing a bloated workforce and ignored the guidelines for creating offices within the County Public Service.
Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo has denied all the charges brought against him in an impeachment case currently being heard by the Senate.
Appearing before the Senate on Tuesday as the trial kicked off, the governor pleaded not guilty to three sets of accusations: gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.
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The Senate began a two-day impeachment hearing following a decision by the Isiolo County Assembly to impeach Guyo. On June 26, sixteen out of eighteen Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) voted in favour of his removal from office.
The accusations of gross violation of the Constitution are extensive. The County Assembly alleges that Guyo failed to deliver the annual State of the County address for three consecutive years.
He is also said to have employed a bloated workforce and ignored the guidelines for creating offices within the County Public Service. Another claim states that he disregarded recommendations made by the Assembly, which required him to control and manage the county’s public debt.
In addition, the governor is accused of mishandling bursary funds. The Assembly claims that he did not utilise the funds in line with the approved budget, leading to a financial discrepancy of Sh30 million that remains unaccounted for.
The second charge, abuse of office, includes accusations related to staffing decisions that go against established guidelines. According to the Assembly, Guyo appointed 36 advisors to the Office of the Governor, a move that goes against a directive issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission in July 2013.
He is also said to have appointed 31 Chief Officers, exceeding the 18 positions outlined in the County Executive staffing structure of July 2022.
Furthermore, the governor allegedly hired these Chief Officers on two-year contracts, creating a working environment filled with fear and job insecurity, which the Assembly says violates the Constitution.
There are also claims that he failed to renew contracts for County Executive Committee Members and made appointments to two Deputy County Secretary positions that are not recognised by law or included in the official staffing plan.
On the charge of gross misconduct, the governor is accused of making public remarks that were disrespectful and sexist towards Senator Fatuma Adan Dullo, the representative of Isiolo County in the Senate. These statements, according to the Assembly, go against the principles of leadership and integrity.
The Assembly further alleges that Guyo made divisive, discriminatory, and derogatory remarks about certain clans in the county, breaking public trust. He is also accused of managing county affairs remotely from Nairobi instead of being present in Isiolo, which they claim has led to poor service delivery.
Governor Guyo has maintained that he is innocent of all the allegations. His legal team is expected to present their defence during the course of the Senate proceedings. The outcome of this trial could determine whether he continues to hold office or becomes the latest county chief to be removed through impeachment.
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