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How Governor Nyaribo survived impeachment motion

18 MCAs voted against the motion while 16 backed the removal from office bid.

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by JAMES MBAKA

News04 October 2023 - 06:54
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In Summary


  • The governor faced 12 charges in a 19-page motion table in the county assembly last week.
  • The motion needed the support of 23 MCAs to sail through, being the two-thirds threshold.
Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo.

A directive by the United Progressive Alliance(UPA) party to all its members to shoot down an impeachment motion saw Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo survive removal from office on Tuesday.

The party had on Monday warned that MCAs who will support the motion risked having their 'membership terminated'.

"The party hereby directs all the UPA party members of the Nyamira County Assembly to oppose and/or shoot down the motion for removal from office of H.E Amos Kimwomi Nyaribo, the Governor Nyamira County Government," the party said in a statement signed by Jacob Bagaka, the secretary general.

The proponents of the motion, who claimed to have the numbers to get the two-thirds threshold to remove Nyaribo from office, lost numerical advantage on the house floor on Tuesday.

When the vote was called, only 16 MCAs of the 28 that had appended their signatures to the motion fronted by Esise ward representative Josiah Mang'era voted in favour.

This means that the motion can only be reintroduced to the house after six months as provided for in the Standing Orders.

Nyamira County Assembly Deputy Speaker and Ekerenyo Ward MCA who backed the impeachment asked the governor to serve the people after his victory.

''Congratulations to the winning team but that should serve as a call and warning to Governor Nyaribo to improve on his delivery of services to the people of Nyamira County,'' the MCA said.

The governor who is also the leader of the UPA party had 18 MCAs vote against the motion, handing him a lifeline after weeks of heavy political maneuvers and anxiety.

The motion needed the support of 23 MCAs to sail through, being the two-thirds threshold.

The Assembly has 20 elected MCAs and 15 nominated.

UPA enjoys the majority of the MCAs with six members, followed by ODM which has four members. 

The Jubilee party and Ford Kenya have two members each in the county Assembly while Wiper, UDA and ANC have a member each.

There is only one MCA who was elected on the Independent ticket.

Nyaribo had a head start from the word go because of his UPA party which also has three nominated MCAs.

However, the party lost Elija Osiemo, the former Nyamaiya MCA who died in a grisly road accident last month.

The governor was able to enjoy the support of some of the parties within the Azimio coalition, rescuing him from what could have turned out to be a humiliating exit.

Nyaribo faced 12 charges in a 19-page motion tabled in the Assembly last Tuesday.

The governor was accused of, among other things, flagging off empty containers disguised as medical supplies, illegal recruitment of staff and disobeying court orders.

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