Governor Granton Samboja of Taita Taveta impeached

Wiper Governor impeached

Tony Mukere

October 9, 2019 6:13 PM

MCAs pass vote of no confidence

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja impeached

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja has been impeached after members of the County Assembly (MCAs) passed the motion with a two-thirds majority.

The decision of the County Assembly will now be passed to the Senate which will form a committee to investigate the charges against Samboja.

A vote will then be taken to either acquit or uphold the impeachment.

The motion came amid bad blood between the Wiper Party-elected Governor and the county's MCAs.

Samboja had started a process of collecting signatures to petition President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve the entire county government by the time the motion was voted on.

He has accused MCAs of making unnecessary expenditure demands that affect his development budget.

The Taita Taveta county boss becomes the sixth governor to be impeached since the Establishment of devolution.

Despite the numerous impeachments, no Governor has lost his seat due to an impeachment as the resolutions have either been overturned by the Senate or by the courts.

Embu Governor Martin Wambora is the only Governor to have been impeached by both the Senate and the MCAs - the impeachment was later quashed by the courts.

Others who have been impeached include the first Governor of Nyeri County Nderitu Gachagua (deceased), Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) and Mwangi wa Iria of Murang’a.

Tony Mukere