Another Governor Faces Impeachment After Special Sitting
Another Governor Faces Impeachment After Special Sitting
Another Governor Faces Impeachment After Special Sitting
Nyamira County Assembly (MCA) members have set aside a special meeting to discuss the possibility of impeaching Governor Amos Nyaribo. The MCAs requested that the special meeting be scheduled for September 22 in a letter dated September 14 and addressed to the county assembly’s speaker.
Following Nyaribo’s firing of County Health Minister Timothy Ombati last week, talk of Nyaribo’s denunciation was prevalent.The letter stated, in part, “It is notified for the general information of the Members of the County Assembly and the general public that there shall be a special sitting for the County Assembly of Nyamira on Friday, September 22, 2023, at 9.30 am in the Assembly chambers.”
The agenda item states, “The business to be transacted shall be to give a notice of motion for removal from office by impeachment of Amos Kimwomi Nyaribo, the Governor of Nyamira County.”The MCAs claim that the dismissal of the health minister was improper.
Nyaribo refuted their assertions, highlighting the fact that Ombati was fired as a result of corruption allegations.The governor said that the health officer had stolen Ksh22 million intended for the county’s hospitals’ medicine purchases.The MCAs, led by Thaddeus Nyabaro, the deputy speaker, and Duke Masira, the deputy majority leader, were not persuaded and said Ombati was the target of a witch hunt based on clannish motives.They continued to defend the health minister, claiming that he was not accountable for the missing monies and adding that the chief officer, who serves as the accounting officer for the health ministry, should be fired first.
On his end, Ombati hired attorney Danstan Omari to represent him in a lawsuit against the Governor for what he claimed was an unconstitutional dismissal.The health minister contends that he was sacked without cause and that he was not given a fair opportunity to defend himself.”That also key to the petition is the fact that the prominent reason for termination is alleged embarrassment to the governor which reasons he says that is not contemplated in the County government act as warranting the summary dismissal from service of a CEO,” Ombati’s court documents stated.
