- Senators voted to have Mwangaza's impeachment case heard at the Senate plenary.
- The Committee on Appointments dismissed allegations of ignoring public input during approval hearings of CS nominees.
Image: Handout
All eyes were on the Senate this week as the House convened for a special sitting over the impeachment of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
Senators cut short their three-week recess on Wednesday to hear charges against Mwangaza, who has been impeached for the third time in two years.
The Meru County Assembly approved the impeachment motion on August 8, 2024, citing three main grounds: gross violation of the Constitution and other laws, gross misconduct and abuse of office.
During the special sitting, senators voted to have Mwangaza's impeachment case heard at the Senate plenary.
The House set Monday and Tuesday as the dates for the hearing.
Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot had moved the motion for the establishment of a Special Committee to probe the removal from office by impeachment of Mwangaza.
Most senators highlighted the sensitivity of Mwangaza's case and argued that the plenary would allow Kenyans and the Meru people to follow up on the case in real time.
"The route of the special committee is abandoned and the Senate will investigate the proposed removal from office by the impeachment of Kawira Mwangaza in plenary pursuant to section 33 (3a) of the County Government Act,” Speaker Amason Kingi announced.
Cheruiyot had argued that the Special Committee would have been the most effective in cross-examining the parties involved since it was the third time Mwangaza had been impeached.
Mwangaza has filed the responses to the charges with the office of the Clerk of the Senate.
The clerk was directed to circulate documents received by parties to senators before Sunday 5 pm after which the Senate will commence hearing on Monday.
Approval of CS East Africa Community and Attorney General
During the week, the National Assembly approved Beatrice Askul Moe for appointment as CS for East African Community Affairs and Regional Development, and Dorcas Agik Odhong Oduor as Attorney General.
It followed the House's adoption and approval of a special motion tabled by the Committee on Appointments, chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.
Speaking during the session, MPs sought to assure Kenyans that public views were duly considered during the recent vetting of Cabinet Secretary nominees.
The Committee on Appointments dismissed allegations of ignoring public input during the approval hearings.
Public participation in vetting
The committee emphasised that public participation was thorough during the exercise.
The committee clarified that all affidavits and memoranda submitted by the public were carefully scrutinised and dismissed claims that any were disregarded.
Deputy Leader of the Majority Party Owen Baya thanked Kenyans who participated in the approval hearings by submitting memoranda and affidavits.
He emphasised that the process has strengthened democracy and constitutionalism in the country.
Addressing claims the committee disregarded the content of public submissions, Baya reaffirmed that public participation was thorough and that the committee fully adhered to the process.
Intervention to revive the sugar sector
During the debate on the Motion on policy and funding for sugarcane farming, MPs called for urgent intervention to revive the ailing sugar industry,
Lawmakers expressed concern over the decline of sugarcane farming in Western Kenya, leading to a surge in sugar imports.
The Motion called on the national Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, to review sugar development policies.
It proposed that every investor-miller should allocate specific funds for sugarcane farming development and offer incentives to farmers to return to sugarcane production.
MPs called for increased investment in research to develop early-maturing sugarcane varieties with high sucrose content to boost smallholder farmers' yields.