Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo impeached

Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo. [Stanley Ongwae, Standard]

Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo has been impeached after 23 of 31 members of the County Assembly voted to approve the motion against him.

All 19 MCAs who attended Tuesday morning’s session approved the motion seeking the removal of Governor Nyaribo from office, while four other MCAs who were absent participated through proxies.

The impeachment motion was moved by Bonyamatuta MCA Julius Matwere, who accused Nyaribo of grossly violating the Constitution of Kenya (2010) and other laws, as well as abusing the powers of his office.

Governor Nyaribo did not attend the session in person and was represented by his lawyers, Ombui Ratemo and Zelmar Bonuke.

In presenting the case to the House, Matwere accused the governor of supporting and approving the Bunge Mashinani, a faction of the House led by ousted Speaker Enock Okero, which conducted sittings outside the main chambers of the House between October 2024 and July 2025, until the courts ruled it illegal.

Other accusations against Nyaribo included supporting the Bunge Mashinani, enacting the County Supplementary Appropriations Bill 2024/25, failing to appoint a substantive County Service Board, constituting the Nyamira Municipality Board and the Keroka Municipality Board, usurping the powers of the Auditor-General, appointing Dr Peris Oroko as the County Executive Member for Agriculture, and recruiting county workers without an approved budget.

The ward representatives further accused him of overpaying some staff, conducting an illegal payroll audit, and employing two senior staff without following due process.

Nyaribo’s lawyers dismissed the impeachment as a witch-hunt. The vote marks a significant moment for a governor who has been navigating political turbulence since his election in 2022.