Estranged county boss gets reprieve after assembly suspends Motion

By JOSEPH MUCHIRI

Embu, Kenya: Embu Governor Martin Wambora got a temporary reprieve after the county assembly suspended a Motion to impeach him until Tuesday.

Two Motions that sought to remove the governor and his deputy Dorothy Nditi for alleged abuse of office were yesterday adjourned after the Members of County Assembly (MCAs) claimed that some of their colleagues were being held hostage.

Notices of the two Motions were tabled in the assembly last week by the Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Swaleh to have the governor impeached. Ndhawa MCA Ngari Makenge tabled the Motion for Ms Nditi.

Members had started debating the Motion when they realised that they did not have a two-thirds majority to successfully remove the governor from office. Only 21 members out of a total 33 were present.

Speaker Kariuki Mate shelved the debate after Mavuria Ward Representative Joseph Nyaga alleged that some members who had expressed support for the Motion were being held against their wish so that they could skip the session.

Nyaga had alleged that a colleague had called him saying he was being held in a Nairobi hotel. Mate directed the assembly clerk Jim Kauma to have the claims investigated.

Moving the Motion, Swaleh accused Wambora of tolerating corruption following a decision to ignore their recommendations that he fires county secretary Margaret Lorna Kariuki for failing to follow procurement laws.