Siaya forms committee to probe deputy governor’s ouster

The Siaya County Assembly has formed a 14-member committee to probe the impeachment motion against Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol.

During a special sitting on Monday, May 29, 2023, the MCAs debated the establishment of a select committee to investigate the DG’s ouster and unanimously agreed.

If his impeachment succeeds, Oduol will be the second person from the executive to exit Governor James Orengo’s administration after Water, Environment and natural resources CEC Julie Caroline Onyango was dismissed over gross misconduct, falsifying information and abuse of office.

Oduol was voted out by 38 members who believed he was culpable of dissipating county funds and abuse of his office. Three MCAs were absent during the session.

The members also cited gross misconduct and violation of the constitution as grounds for the deputy governor's removal.

Siaya Speaker George Okode who had presided over the sitting, affirmed that two-thirds of the members had passed the motion warranting Oduol's removal.

Okode said the special committee put in place is tasked with probing the impeachment motion and doing a report that should be tabled at the Assembly on June 8, 2023.

“The committee are expected to probe whether the allegations levelled against Oduol's impeachment and he equally should be given a benefit of reply,” Okode stated.

Okode said the assembly has been discredited by certain quotes and members have been accused of bribery by those who feel aggrieved by Oduol’s case.

Okode noted that the matter was of great public interest, as such, the committee should give a fair hearing to everyone involved including Oduol himself.

“The motion has been passed going by the number of members who approved by appending their signatures to back the motion but let us give an opportunity to the public, who elected us to give their inputs,” Usonga Ward MCA Silvester Madialo stated.

Members of the Siaya County Assembly will vote to either impeach or reject the motion after receiving a statement from the 14-member committee.

Once voted upon by the majority of the Siaya County Assembly, the matter will move to the Senate where Senators will adjudicate and finally pass a vote.

However, the mover of the motion, East Asembo MCA Gordon Onguru said should they succeed in Oduol’s impeachment and the Senate overrules their decision they won't tire to re-initiate the process again.

“We are ready to initiate impeachment of Oduol if the Senate overrules our decision because the law allows us to re-visit such matters after six months."

This comes after Oduol tabled a report raising concern on the status of allocation of funds in the Supplementary Budget I for FY 2022/2023 towards the governor and deputy governor’s residences, and upgrading to the bitumen standard of Segere-Ouru-Ogaso road and Siaya Stadium.

In his written submission, the deputy governor claimed that funds allocated towards the three projects in Alego-Usonga were removed during the making of the Supplementary Budget.

Oduol maintains that he is facing political turbulence in Siaya County for allegedly rejecting corruption deals in which over Ksh100 million had irregularly been withdrawn on imprest.