Wajir Governor defends himself against impeachment
Wajir Governor Mohammed Abdi Mohamud on Monday defended himself against the impeachment motion tabled against him.
Speaking before the Senate, the Governor asked honourable members to dismiss the motion before them saying it lacks legal threshold.
He said he has done his part as the Governor to enhance the development and equitable distribution of resources in Wajir County.
"I wish to plead with the Senate to be sympathetic and should not just impeach me because of one aspect. We can say I could be impeached for violation of the Constitution but it cannot be gross misconduct," Governor Abdi said.
On the issue of health where he was accused of negligence, the Governor said his government has provided enough and said no evidence was provided to prove his failure as the county boss.
"The main impeachment is said to be a gross violation of the Constitution by not providing adequate health facilities. According to me and my county, we have provided enough," the Governor said.
"The threshold of impeachment based on the ground of failure of the health sector in Wajir county should not be held to stand," he added.
His lawyer Ndegwa Njiru also came to his defence and urged the Senate to dismiss the impeachment motion.
Njiru said the Governor had been acquitted in several charges and asked senators not to impeach the Wajir Governor.
"Even as we look at the fate of the governor this evening, the governor has been acquitted of all those charges. What remains is to interrogate whether what has been presented before this House, meets the threshold," he said.
The chair of the 11-member committee, that probed his impeachment by Wajir County Assembly, Senator Okong'o Omogeni moved the impeachment motion after tabling a report of the trial held last week.
The committee had upheld one charge pressed against the Governor by the assembly.
"Charge 1 on gross violation of the Constitution of Kenya,2010, the County Government Act, 2012, the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015 and the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 has been substantiated," reads the conclusion part of the report presented by the 11-member committee.
The 11-member committee, however, found that abuse of office and gross misconduct charges were not substantiated.
Wajir County MCAs impechaed Governor Abdi on April 27, on two charges.
