Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo survives impeachment

Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo when he appeared before the County Public Accounts committee (CPAC )at KICC, Nairobi on September 21, 2023. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo has survived impeachment after a motion seeking his ouster was shot down by majority MCAs following a day-long debate at the County Assembly.

He survived after managing to win the support of 18 MCAs against 16 who supported the motion which required a majority vote of 23 MCAs to meet the constitutional threshold.

According to Deputy Speaker Thadeus Nyabaro who was leading the ouster, his side had the numbers but they were allegedly bought to shoot down the motion.

"There are some of our soldiers who voted against our agreement. I bet if we were to go the roll call way, we were to carry the day," Nyabaro said.

The death of the motion follows weeks of intensive lobbying by the two opposed sides.

In his key address before the vote, the mover of the motion, Josiah Mang'era of Esise Ward said he was prepared for any outcome to the motion but cautioned that if the motion died, then the County would suffer in any way since the motion was a cure to the challenges they face as a county.

Nyaribo on his part said the fall of the motion was a relief to the people of Nyamira who were about to be taken captive politically by people he said were election losers who never wanted him to concentrate on the development agenda of the county.

"This is a win for Nyamira County and the people who had the faith of electing me to office. Those who were driving the agenda were agents of self-seeking politicians who are dying to see the county fail," Nyaribo said.

He said his next assignment will be uniting the two divides of the Assembly to consolidate ideas that can better be addressed with such unity.

"There may be issues to do with misdoings which need to be handled in a sober way than wanting to topple a leader from office," he said.