Ngilu has laugh last laugh as accusers vanish
Governor Charity Ngilu can now sigh with relief after members of the Kitui County Assembly suspended debate on a planned impeachment motion against her that was supposed to be tabled today.
Yesterday, the mover of the motion who is the House Majority leader and Aathi Ward Representative Peter Mwikya Kilonzo said the Assembly’s decision to suspend the motion was reached after some members went missing.
“We have checked our list and realised that some of our members’ whereabouts are not known. We don’t know where they are and we want first to establish where they are,” said Kilonzo.
Last month, a section of MCAs accused ousted Deputy Speaker and Kisasi Ward Rep Kasee Musya of scheming to throw out the motion on technical grounds.
Kasee, who was branded as Wiper party rebel and was later removed from his position, was accused of plotting to buy off some members to ensure a quorum hitch.
By early last month, the motion had support of at least 40 MCA’s, with majority being from Wiper party.
For an impeachment motion to sail through, at least two thirds of house members should vote in support.
Ngilu has blamed Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka for her woes. The party has 28 out of 54 members in the Assembly.
Temporary suspended
Musya yesterday told People Daily that the “temporary” suspension of the motion would give them time to re-strategise.
“We are sure they will come back. They cannot go forever unless they want to lose their positions should they fail to attend eight consecutive sittings” said Musya.
Ngilu has vowed to stage a bloodless coup that will see Kalonzo’s Wiper Party wiped out of Ukambani.
Speaking yesterday, Ngilu said she had the support of Kitui residents.
“I want to tell them that I am with the people and they will not succeed in their dirty schemes,” said Ngilu.
Ward reps have accused Ngilu of gross violation of the Constitution, undermining the authority of the County Assembly and plunder of public resources.
The MCAs also accuse Ngilu of failure to comply with the two-thirds gender rule in the appointments of members of County Executive Committee. The say that she has only appointed only one woman out of the seven members.
Dismissed claims
“Out of the seven, only one is a woman - the governor herself. She has failed to nominate more women and comply with the two thirds gender rule which is a gross violation of the Constitution.
It is quite astonishing that the governor being a woman herself has continuously elected to oppress and deny the women of Kitui their constitutional rights, privileges and opportunities,” says the impeachment charge sheet.
The motion has also cited the governor for failing to honour summons of the Senate committee on County Public Investment and Accounts to shed light on audit queries regarding the management and expenditure of county funds amounting to Sh20 billion for 2017 – 2018 and 2018 – 2019 financial years.
They also accuse her of conflict of interest and abuse of office in the purchase of a stationary stone crusher valued at Sh85 million and whose tender, her accusers claim, was awarded to the governor’s relative through single sourcing and in which public funds are believed have been plundered
But the Narc leader has dismissed the claims, accusing Kalonzo of an attempt to frustrate her development agenda using the Wiper majority in the assembly.
The governor has maintained that she is being persecuted by the Wiper party leadership which is hell-bent on derailing her development agenda for the county.
“He attended my swearing-in ceremony and warned me that I will not have an easy time because he has majority members in the Assembly. It has now come to pass,” Ngilu said.
The governor, who is facing an impeachment motion, said she will not get fairness from the county Assembly, noting that the Wiper brigade was under pressure to impeach her.
“We have written several letters to the Assembly, but to date they have not responded to any of them.
They are under pressure from the party leadership to remove me. It is all politics,” she added.
