Sonko’s impeachment process begins

ODM ward representatives tabled a notice of motion as the process to impeach governor Mike Sonko started yesterday.

They MCAs listed 16 grounds for removal of the governor, including abuse of office and irregular procurement of services. These include irregular awarding of a Sh1.5 billion tender for construction stadia, among them Dandora Stadium.

Minority Chief Whip Peter Imwatok tabled the notice of motion that was approved by the House. The plenary sitting was attended by over 85 MCAs from both sides.

Sonko has also been accused of unilaterally sacking of staff through social media without fair hearing failing to name a deputy governor despite an advisory by the Supreme Court.

Imwatok also listed irregular awarding of a Sh1.7 billion contract to AAR insurance company, the Sh18.5 million city beautification programme with no results, inability to constitute a working cabinet with almost all CECs working in acting capacity and skewed award of contracts to road developers in estates as other grounds of impeachment.

Sonko is also accused of incompetency evidenced by the county’s inability to collect garbage and failure to put in place a proper revenue collection system that has resulted in losses. He also faces accusation of irregular issuance of title deeds to residents of Eastlands and failing to avail title deeds months later even after demanding a Sh30,000 as a processing fee.

Imwatok accused Sonko of behaving in a manner not fitting the status of a county chief by indulging in alcohol consumption while in office. He also noted that Sonko had brought the office of the governor into disrepute by breaking the social contract between him and the people who elected by hurling abusive words at them whenever they criticised him over his unbecoming behaviours.

“The governor has also used his position to facilitate the irregular transfer of land in counties such as Nairobi, Kwale and Mtwapa,” said Imwatok.

However, there was drama during tabling of the notice of motion after some Jubilee-allied MCAs demanded verification of signatures before the process could start.

To move the notice of motion, a member is required to collect 41 signatures - a third of the 122 MCAs. Those who had signed for the notice were 65 MCAs.

Roysambu MCA Peter Warutere stormed out of the chambers after a shouting contest with opposition members. This saw Speaker Beatrice Elachi suspend Warutere from the house for one week.

Dandora Phase Two MCA Silas Matara rose on a point of order to dispute the legality of the signatures collected and further queried the authentication process of the same.

He argued that Jacob Ngwele, who was reinstated by the court, is still the substantive clerk and that Monica Muthami was serving in acting capacity.

“As far as we are concerned, the legal county clerk is Jacob Ngwele who was hounded out of office so I want to know who verified the signatures in his absence,” said Matara.

He was, however, overruled by Elachi who stated Ngwele had been removed as the clerk after the House adopted a report by an ad-hoc committee formed to investigate his appointment. 

Sonko has seven days to appear in the House to argue his case.