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Relief for Ottichilo as court stops impeachment motion

Thursday, March 5th, 2020 00:00 | By
Vihiga Governor Wilbur Ottichilo. Photo/PD/FILE

Enock Amukhale

Vihiga Governor Wilbur Ottichilo on Tuesday got a reprieve after a court issued orders stopping the County Assembly from tabling and debating an impeachment motion against him.

In a petition filed at the  Kakamega High Court, Ottichilo has listed County Speaker Hasna Mudeizi, the County Assembly and Assembly Clerk Ambaka Kilinga as the first, second and third respondents respectively. The matter will be heard today.

In the petition, the governor claims the MCAs are in a hurry to impeach him without giving him a chance to defend himself against the allegations levelled against him by the Assembly.

The MCAs are accusing him of abuse of office, imprudent use of public funds, massive sackings of county staff, exaggerating the value of land for the governor’s residence and irregular hiring of workers.

Leaders in support of the ouster motion led by Busali MCA Gladys Analo have vowed to kick the governor out to pave the  way for his deputy Patrick Saisi to run the county.

Over 20 out of the 38 MCAs  are supporting the motion accusing him of mismanaging the county through  poor leadership and corruption.

 “We are going to impeach Ottichilo for running down this county. County staff are not paid their salaries and corruption is the order of the day among other issues,” said Analo.

Luagaga Wamuluma ward MCA Victor Ijaika who is also Assembly Majority Whip said  development and service delivery to the electorate in the county has stagnated due to poor leadership.

He said Ottichilo has failed to tame the ballooning wage bill and also failed to settle pending bills despite the Assembly approving Sh450 million in the supplementary budget to pay contractors.

“For this county to grow,  Ottichilo must be sent home because he has stagnated development and service delivery.

The county staff are not paid their salaries, people are being sacked arbitrary and there is abuse of office.

The Assembly approved supplementary budget of Sh400 million to settle pending bills, but no contractor has been paid,” said  Ijaika.

Already, a  motion to impeach Ottichilo has been drafted and tabled before the Assembly awaiting deliberation.

 MCAs allied to Ottichilo led by  Minority Leader Tom Atingo, have vowed not to support the  motion asking their counterparts to give the governor time to work.

Vihiga senator George Khaniri while addressing residents in Lugaga Wamuluma ward on Saturday asked MCAs to consolidate tangible evidence against Ottichilo before impeaching him.

 Khaniri said the Senate is ready to deal with rogue governors if the accusations levelled against them are backed by  evidence.

Last week, Ottichilo pleaded with MCAs to abandon their plans to impeach him and embrace dialogue to solve county issues.

“I have written to the Speaker to request for a meeting with MCAs at the Assembly chambers to prosecute this matter in a sober and rational manner because the current discussion in the public is tarnishing the name and leadership of the county,” the governor had said.

He said MCAs and members of the public were drawing conclusions based on unverified documents circulating in the media, saying he was confident the stalemate would be resolved amicably.

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