Kakamega MCAs vote to impeach four Public Service Board members

Four out of six members of Kakamega County Public Service Board members have been impeached.

This is after the Kakamega County Assembly Committee on Public Service and Administration under the chairmanship of Marama South MCA Willis Opuka recommended for their removal from office through an impeachment motion.

The motion arises from a petition that was filed on October 12 by Kakamega UDA Chairman Dennis Muhanda.

The County Public Service Board (CPSB) chairperson Catherine Omweno and board members Stanely Were, Dr Ralph Wangatiah and Joel Omukoko have been kicked out of the office.

The board's Vice Chairperson Ambrose Subayi and Sylvia Itembe Otunga survived by a whisker after the votes cast to remove them did not meet the 75 per cent threshold for their removal.

A total of 76 ward reps voted to support the removal of Ms Omweno, the board's chairperson, seven MCAs voted against her removal while three others abstained.

House Speaker James Namatsi directed that "if the 75 per cent of the members (MCAs) approve the resolution of the committee, the board member in question shall go home'

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The board's chair Ambrose Subayi narrowly survived after the vote count did not hit the 75 per cent threshold.

Those who voted for his removal were 55 MCAs while 27 voted against his removal.

Stanley Were, a board member has been impeached after 71 ward reps voted for his removal while 12 MCAs were against his removal from office.

Sylvia Itembe Otunga survived by a whisker after 45 ward reps voted No whereas those who wanted her to be removed from office were 38.

The MCAs voted to kick out Dr Ralph Wangatiah with 75 of them approving the recommendation for his impeachment while eight of them were against the motion.

They also voted to kick out Joel Omukoko Anyera after 74 ward reps approved his impeachment against Nine MCAs who voted No.

The board is also battling claims of serious violation of the Constitution, violation of Chapter 6 of the Constitution, breach of statute law, abuse of office, gross misconduct, conflict of interest, and incompetence.

Additionally, they have been accused of employing people with questionable academic qualifications and hiring 400 revenue clerks and 74 revenue officers without the approval of the cabinet.

It's former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya who terminated the contract of Gathoni (Board CEO) after he discovered she was still employed as an accountant and on the payroll of the Nakuru County government.

Oparanya's decision to terminate Gathoni's contract is what put the current board members heads on the chopping board.

"You were appointed to the post of secretary of the service board with effect from July 15, 2020, on a six-year non-renewable contract," Oparanya's letter states in part.

It further reads: "In the course of your engagement, it came to our attention that you were still on the payroll of Nakuru County, until May 2021, when you ought to have delinked from them immediately after you took up the appointment with Kakamega County Public Service Board"

"For these reasons, your contract is hereby terminated and you are released to return to Nakuru with immediate effect," Oparanya's termination letter dated October 19, 2021, reads in part.

Aggrieved by the sacking, Gathoni would later seek a review of her dismissal from the Public Service Commission (PSC), which overturned Oparanya's decision to terminate her employment.

Consequently, Governor Fernandes Barasa reinstated her as the CEO in a letter dated November 4, 2022.