Nyamira Governor Nyaribo survives second impeachment attempt

Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo has once again survived an impeachment attempt by the Members of the County Assembly.

He survived impeachment after the legislators failed to attain the impeachment threshold of 23 votes.

As communicated by the County Assembly Speaker Enock Okero, some 22 MCAs voted for his removal from office, while 12 voted against his removal.

"The threshold needed to impeach the governor stands at 22.6, which is 23 and so the governor survives," Okero said.

Nyamira County has 20 elected and 15 nominated MCAs: UPA (six), Orange Democratic Movement (four), Jubilee (two), and Ford Kenya (two).

Wiper party's nominated Nominated MCA Evans Matunda filed the motion, citing grounds of abuse of office and gross misconduct.

"I beg to give a notice of a motion to consider debate and approval of the removal of Honorable Amos Nyaribo, the Governor of Nyamira County from office by way of impeachment on the following grounds; gross violation of the constitution of Kenya and other laws and abuse of office and gross misconduct," he said in the motion.

In October 2023, Governor Nyaribo narrowly avoided impeachment when an attempt to remove him from office fell short of the required two-thirds majority.

The governor had faced 12 charges including illegal recruitment of staff, failure to remit statutory dues, favouritism, and nepotism.

The then motion mover, Esise Ward MCA Josiah Mang'era, unsuccessfully demonstrated to the majority of his colleagues that Mr Nyaribo had violated Article 8(1)(a)(b)(c) of the Constitution of Kenya, Section 33 of the County Governments Acts (2012) and Standing Order No.62 of the Nyamira County Assembly.

Sixteen Nyamira County MCAs supported it, while 18 opposed it.

The petition had been filed against Nyaribo on grounds of nepotism, favouritism, illegal staff recruitment, and failure to remit statutory dues, among others.