Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot has proposed the formation of an 11-member committee to probe the impeachment grounds of Kisii Deputy Governor Robert Monda.
The development comes after speaker Amason Kingi notified the House and laid bare the charges against the Deputy Governor.
“I wish to report to the Senate that I have received a Message from the Speaker of the County Assembly of Kisii regarding the removal from office, by way of impeachment, of H.E Hon (Dr.) Robert Onsare Monda, the Deputy Governor of Kisii County,” Kingi said.
In a notice of motion, Cheruyiot proposed the names of the following Senators to the committee.
- Senator Seki Lenku (Kajiado),
- Senator David Wafula Wakoli(Bungoma),
- Senator Mariam Sheikh Omar (Mandera Nominated),
- Senator Joe Nyutu (Murang'a),
- Senator James Ekomwa Lomenen Turkana);
- Senator Margaret Kamar (Uasin Gishu),
- Senator Okiya Omtatah (Busia),
- Senator Beth Syengo (Nominated),
- Senator Issa Juma Boy (Kwale),
- Senator Shakila Abdallah,(Nominated), and
- Senator Crystal Asige (Nominated)
However, Cheruyiot's proposal will be subjected to debate by the Senators who will either vote yes or no.
"If the Senate agrees to it, well and good. But the final decision will be made by the house," he said.
If the Senators reject the proposal, Monda's impeachment will be before the whole house.
In the scenario where they agree with Cheruyiot's 11-man committee, they will be tasked with probing the grounds of Monda's ouster and establishing if the accusations leveled against Monda are behooving an impeachment.
Legal representatives of the Deputy Governor and the 53 MCAs will appear before the committee, to argue their case. The teams will also avail witnesses to bolster their respective cases.
Kisii MCAs impeached Monda last month after 53 out of the 70 members of the county assembly voted in favour of the motion.
One MCA abstained from voting, while 13 others opposed his dismissal.
Section 33 ( 2 )(a) of the County Governments Act provides that the speaker of the county assembly shall inform the Speaker of the Senate of the resolution of the county assembly within two days.
Following Monda's impeachment on February 29, 2024, the Office of the Speaker of the Senate on March 2, 2024, was informed by the Speaker of the Kisii County Assembly of the events that occurred.
The MCAs have accused him of abuse of office, gross violation of the Constitution and gross misconduct. But the deputy governor denied the allegations.
“I have never been accused of corruption in my life. It is only this time that it is coming in my history. I have sufficient answers and it is the responsibility of the holders of this motion to ensure they have a case to prosecute,” Monda said.
In the Senate, impeachment cases are often heated, with the Housesplit along the Kenya Kwanza and Azimio axis.
This is the second time the Senate will hear an impeachment case against a deputy governor.
Last year, the senators heard and dismissed— by a majority vote—the ouster bid against Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol by the county assembly.