MCAs send four executives home following night debate

By ERIC LUNGAI and FRANCIS ONTOMWA

Vihiga, Kenya: Vihiga County Assembly has approved an impeachment motion to remove four County Executive Committee (CEC) members from office over profligacy.

The motion, debated deep into Tuesday night, sealed the fate of the four after recommendations by four house committees that investigated their conduct.

The four facing the sack include Newton Okwiya (Trade and Industrialisation), Elmanus Vodoti (Education), Evans Kahiga (County Treasury) and Johnston Khejeli (Public Service) .

Assembly Speaker Daniel Chitwa said the impeachment was in line with sections 42 and 43 of the County Government Act that provides that the assembly can recommend to the governor to sack CEC members for misconduct.

Governor Moses Akaranga’s office however said they had not received official communication from the county assembly insisting that the right procedures had to be met by the house.

No reaction

“We are yet to receive formal communication from the assembly and until that suffices we cannot react on it,” said Peter Atsiaya, Director of Communications.

Mr Vodoti and Mr Kahiga were accused of gross incompetence while Mr Okwiya was sent parking following mishandling of allocation of stalls at Chavakali market.

The manner in which stalls allocation at Chavakali market was handled sent the matter to court thus hindering revenue collection by the county government.

The MCAs alleged the four had failed short of expectations.