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Waiguru, deputy differences play out in impeachment bid

Friday, April 3rd, 2020 00:00 | By
Governor Anne Waiguru. PHOTO/File
Governor Anne Waiguru. PHOTO/File

By Githinji Mwangi

The fallout between Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and her deputy Peter Ndambiri escalated yesterday when their supporters clashed, a day after a motion to impeach the county boss was filed in the County Assembly.

Trouble started when rowdy youths believed to be allied to Ndambiri disrupted a press conference of a pro-Waiguru group at Defatha village in Mwea constituency. 

The governor’s supporters had called the press conference to denounce the impeachment motion. 

But as they addressed the press, a group of youths, who were armed with whips and sticks, stormed the venue and dispersed the pro-Waiguru group.

They accused the governor of undermining her deputy through sponsored demonstrations.

“Enough is enough. The governor has been undermining the deputy governor for long. We hear she has ordered his office to be closed.

Let her know that Ndambiri too has supporters,” said Michael Chomba, who was speaking for the pro-Ndambiri youth.

Sleeping on job

They asked Waiguru to prepare to defend herself at the County Assembly and the Senate instead of trying to intimidate her perceived enemies.

“Let the rule of law take its course. We fully support the impeachment motion and if the governor is found guilty, she should carry her own cross,” they said. 

Addressing the media earlier, Waiguru’s supporters accused the Assembly of failing in their responsibility and sleeping on the job.

Led by Michael Gitari, a political activist and a staunch Waiguru ally, the supporters defended the governor and termed the accusations leveled against her as politically instigated.

The political tension between the two county leaders, which has been simmering for months, came out in the open last week when the governor reportedly ordered that her deputy’s office be locked.

Waiguru’s supporters have been holding demonstrations in various towns in the county to denounce Ndambiri, who they are accusing of being behind the motion to throw out his boss so he can replace her as governor.

 On Wednesday, Mutira Ward representative David Kinyua tabled a motion in the County Assembly to impeach Waiguru. 

In the petition signed by 30 of the 33 members of the County Assembly, the MCA have accused the governor of abetting graft and heading a “criminal enterprise” whose sole mission is to siphon millions from the county coffers.

But on Tuesday, Waiguru defended herself and dismissed the MCAs as petty. 

 She asked the Ward reps, who she claimed are being used by her political rivals, to drop the motion and help her in efforts to stop the coronavirus from spreading into the county.

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