Chaos in Kitui County Assembly as Ngilu’s lawyers are ejected from premises

A frozen video clip showing the Kitui County Assembly and security guards locking out Governor Charity Ngilu's lawyers from the county assembly. [Courtesy, Standard]

Tempers flared up at Kitui County Assembly when its Sergeant-At-Arms and orderlies ejected Governor Charity Ngilu’s lawyers from the regional parliament's premises.

Lawyers Morris Kimuli and Martin Oloo had shown up at the assembly to represent governor Ngilu who had been summoned by the assembly through a letter by its Speaker George Ndoto.

In a video clip that has since gone viral, the county assembly officials can be seen whisking away the lawyers and shutting the gate as they engage in fierce verbal exchange.

Before this, one of the lawyers can be seen protesting being barred by the security guards manning the gate saying that they had d they been invited and had a legal obligation to appear at the assembly.

“…you invited us. Can you tell the speaker to give us a letter of cancellation? This is a public office. No one gets in before us until you give us a letter of cancellation,” one of the lawyers said while enraged.

 In the fracas, Mr Kimuli sustained injuries later on and went to seek medical assistance at Kitui Referral Hospital.

Governor Ngilu was summoned to appear before the county assembly this morning in relation to her impeachment motion. This is despite the court order issued on Friday which stopped any tabling or debating of her impeachment until the inter-partes hearing set for July 6.

In the motion which was prepared by Majority leader and Athi River MCA Peter Kilonzo, Ngilu was accused of gross violation of the constitution, violating the County Governments Act as well as failing to honour summons by the Senate.

They also accuse the governor of failing to sack one of the CECs, Phillip Mumo, who has continued to serve despite the questionability of his suitability. The ouster motion gained the support of 40 MCAs out of 56 MCAs.

Ngilu is also accused of violating the two-thirds gender rule in her appointments.

In her petition which handed her a reprieve on June 26, by suspending the motion, Ngilu listed the county assembly, the speaker, and county clerk Elijah Mutambuki as the respondents.

Her ouster bid comes in the wake distress for governors which has prompted a response from the Chairman of Council of Governors Wycliffe Oparanya.

Oparanya on Saturday accused the MCAs of destabilising development in counties by engaging the county bosses on impeachments wars.

“So far, we have about six governors facing impeachment motions in their counties, including Kitui’s Charity Ngilu...Although Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Senate, the damage has been done,” said Oparanya.

 “We shall be convening this week to deliberate on this issue. We plead with the MCAs to spare the governors and let them serve their remaining term in peace,” he added.

Oparanya was speaking when he met elders from Kakamega at Masinde Muliro University on Saturday.