West Pokot MCAs impeach Speaker over alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office

West Pokot County Assembly speaker Catherine Mukenyang addresses journalists in Parliament Nairobi alongside Tiaty MP William Kamket on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 [David Njaaga, Standard]

West Pokot ward representatives voted to impeach Speaker Catherine Mukenyang last evening.

In a session that took eight hours, 32 MCAs and the deputy speaker Francis Krop, who chaired the session, deliberated on the impeachment motion against Speaker Mukenyang.

25 MCAs supported the motion, while seven voted against it. The chair of the session did not vote.

Mukenyang was invited to the House in the morning to defend herself, but she left before the MCAs voted. She excused herself, saying she was not feeling well.

The motion was tabled by Endough MCA Evanson Lomaduny and seconded by Kiwawa MCA Josiah Yarakwang.

Lomaduny cited abuse of office, a gross violation of the Public Finance Management Act, the Public Procurement and Disposal Act and gross misconduct as grounds for the impeachment.

The MCAs accused the speaker of irregular employment of staff on contract without following the due process, with a view of rewarding her political cronies. The MCAs also accused her of allegedly embarking on the early campaign using county resources.

Majority leader Thomas Ngolesia accused the speaker of taking the roles of the clerk contrary to Section 13 (4) of the County Government Act.

"The speaker has even created a new centre of power to sabotage the Office of the Clerk," he said.

On gross misconduct, the speaker was accused of inciting a section of county assembly staff to cause violence at the assembly. “The speaker should have acted as a symbol of unity,” said Lomaduny.