Nyamira MCAs impeach Speaker over claims of violating law

Nyamira County Assembly Speaker Enock Okero during a past interview. [File, Standard]

Nyamira County Assembly Speaker Enock Okero has been impeached following a vote by 24 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).

Ten members allied to the Speaker abstained from voting.

The was jubilation in the House once the tally was announced.

“This is a victory against the impunity we have been fighting in this county. We are determined to restore sanity,” said Majority Leader George Abuga, who is the Bogichora Ward MCA.

The impeachment occurred less than an hour after Okero had been given the opportunity to defend himself before the MCAs.

The motion was tabled by Kiabonyoru MCA Vincent Benecha and seconded by his Bomwagamo counterpart Julius Nyangana.

Okero faced accusations of two counts of violating the Constitution and gross misconduct. He was also accused of endangering the lives of staff and MCAs by allegedly bringing goons into the Assembly compound, who then pelted the House with stones.

Further, MCAs accused him of denying their nominated colleagues the privilege of hiring three employees, whose salaries would be covered by the County Assembly.

The case against the Speaker also stated that for two years, he had failed to table financial reports  from the County Assembly Service Board, in violation of the County Governments Act 2012.

Defending himself, Okero denied all charges. Regarding the nominated MCAs, he explained that the County Assembly Service Board had decided that, since the nominees did not have ward offices, it was impractical for them to hire more than two staff members. He added that once the Assembly complex was completed, offices would be allotted to the nominees, allowing them to hire additional staff.

“The Service Board, in consultation with the MCA, agreed it was only prudent to allocate two staff to the nominated MCAs until the office complex was finished,” Okero stated.

Okero’s fate had appeared sealed three weeks earlier when he was indefinitely suspended after MCAs levelled several accusations against him.