Senate begins proceedings to determine fate of Kisii DG Robert Monda
The Senate has kicked off plenary sessions to determine the fate of Kisii Deputy Governor Robert Monda who is facing impeachment.
The sessions, which will run for two days, will determine the proposed removal, by impeachment, of Monda, who is facing four allegations.
According to Members of the Kisii County Assembly (MCAs) who voted to impeach the Deputy Governor, he is guilty of gross misconduct, constitutional violations, abuse of office and breach of national laws.
53 members of the Kisii County Assembly on Thursday, February 29 supported an impeachment motion tabled in the House by Ichuni MCA Wycliffe Siocha against 17 who opposed it.
Monda has been accused of leveraging his position for personal financial gain, attempting to influence hiring decisions at the Gusii Water and Sanitation Company (GWASCO), and violating various legal and ethical codes.
In the aforesaid case, he is accused of having asked and received a bribe of Ksh800,000, according to documents filed with the Senate.
According to the charges tabled at the Senate, Monda is alleged to have contravened four articles of the Constitution, including Articles 10 and 232, by soliciting and receiving a bribe to influence the recruitment process at GWASCO.
However, the DG recently denied the claims, terming them a political witchhunt.
“I have never had a tag of corruption in my life. It is only this time that it is coming in my history. I have sufficient answers and it is the responsibility of the holders of this motion to ensure they have a case to prosecute,” the DG said.
The Senate was unable to establish a special committee to investigate the allegations after Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot's motion failed to garner a seconder.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna declined to second the motion, leading to its collapse and the decision to address the matter in plenary.
“Clearly, Majority Leader, you do not have a seconder for this motion. Motion for the establishment of a formation for a committee having suffered that setback, the matter shall be heard in plenary. I will be giving further directions in due course,” Senate Speaker Amason Kingi said.
This is the fourth impeachment hearing in the 13th Parliament, and the second involving a deputy governor.
Monda, a medical doctor, was elected on a joint ODM party ticket with Governor Simba Arati in the 2022 General Election, but the two have since fallen out.
Last year, Monda attributed his collision with Arati, to a lack of a clear development agenda for the county.
"My sin was that I interrogated if there is any clear agenda for our people away from rhetoric which we had been feeding them since we came into office," Monda told a local daily.
