Obado Impeachment: Heavy police presence as Migori MCAs set to meet

Heavy security presence in Migori as the County Assembly resumes its sittings today. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

Security has been beefed up in Migori as members of the county assembly resume sitting today after a month-long recess.

At the top of their agenda will be the awaited motion to remove besieged Governor Okoth Obado from office.

The impeachment motion is expected to be in the Assembly order paper with a section of the ward reps holding they were ready for the process.

They House is expected to begin its business as from 2:30pm.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and some of the Migori County leaders.

Hours before the session, ODM leader Raila Odinga held a meeting with Migori leaders ahead of the ouster bid.

The ODM leader met with Senator Ochilo Ayacko, Suba East MP John Mbadi among other leaders.

“Counties brought the promise of better service delivery and Kenyans have high expectations of the system of governance. By and large it has worked but at times political parties are obligated to step in and protect the interests of the people,” he posted on his official Twitter handle after hosting the delegation.

Obado's ouster bid was initiated by the Orange Democratic Party and has been clouded with controversies with several MCAs, fearing for reprisals, allegedly fleeing the county.

Some of the MCAs have claimed the mission to kick out Obado may hit a dead end because of the sharp divisions among ODM MCAs, threats, intimidation and fears of a backlash from Migori residents.

The Jubilee MCAs are also torn over the ouster bid, with MCAs skipping a meeting organised in Kuria to rally them behind the ouster bid.

Tension has continued to rise in the county with the Assembly Speaker Boaz Okoth claiming his life is in danger after unknown people attacked him on Friday in his Kisumu house for allegedly hosting MCAs for a meeting.

The attack on the Speaker created a wave of tension in the County with fears of violence ahead of Obado’s ouster bid.

Police at Migori County Assembly. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

Early last week, Raila Odinga-led party directed its MCAs in Migori to impeach Governor Obado after he was charged with corruption. He is accused of siphoning some Sh73.4 million county cash.

The governor was charged alongside his four children and his close ally, Jared Odoyo.

He was released on bail and barred from accessing Migori County offices until the graft case is concluded.

The governor has however held he is innocent and was just a victim of a long-drawn political witch-hunt from the Raila-led party.

In an interview with The Standard last week, Obado accused ODM of subjecting him and his family to what he called public lynching.

He claimed by punishing him over a pending court case, the party had usurped the roles of the courts and investigative agencies.

“They have condemned me unheard and subjected me to humiliation in complete disregard of the doctrine of being innocent until proven guilty. It is clear I am being targeted,” the governor said.

Obado blamed Raila Odinga, Migori Senator Ochillo Ayacko, ODM chair John Mbadi and Secretary General Edwin Sifuna for being behind his political woes.