Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo has been impeached by the County Assembly after the members voted to oust him.
Nyamira MCAs initiated an impeachment motion against Governor Nyaribo, citing allegations of gross misconduct, misuse of office, and irregular appointments. This is the third attempt to remove him from office amid growing divisions within the County Assembly.
In the motion filed by Bonyamatuta Ward MCA Julius Kimwomi Matwere (Majority Leader), Governor Nyaribo was removed after 19 of the 31 MCAs supporting his removal voted in favour of impeachment, while four MCAs abstained from voting.
The impeachment now proceeds to the Senate.
In September last year, Governor Nyaribo narrowly survived impeachment by a single vote. During the hearing, 34 MCAs convened, with 22 voting in favour of his removal, 12 opposing, and none abstaining.
A year earlier, in September 2023, he had also escaped an impeachment attempt when 18 MCAs rejected the motion. Sixteen members had voted for his removal, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for the process to succeed.
EACC Radar
At the same time, the county boss remains under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over allegations of graft and misuse of office, creating a challenging situation for the county’s top executive.
Last month, EACC raided the homes and offices of Nyaribo over alleged involvement in a corruption scandal linked to a Ksh382 million irregular tender.
The October 29 morning operation also targeted several senior county officials suspected of participating in the scheme.
What Awaits Nyaribo
Under the law, when a governor is impeached by MCAs, the resolution is forwarded to the Senate for further scrutiny, with the County Assembly Speaker submitting the motion and supporting documents to the Senate, which is constitutionally mandated to review the case.
The Senate then forms a committee to investigate the allegations against the governor, with the committee mandated to examine the evidence, hear the governor’s defence, and consider submissions from both supporters and the county assembly before making a recommendation to the full Senate.
However, it is important to note that the Senate can decide to determine the matter as a whole house or delegate it to a committee. A vote is usually taken to determine this in accordance with the House Standing Orders.
Following the committee’s report, the Senate debates the matter, where a two-thirds majority of all senators is required to uphold the impeachment and officially remove the governor from office. Until this vote, the governor technically remains in office.
What's Next After Senate
If the Senate upholds the impeachment, the deputy governor assumes the governorship for the remainder of the term.
At the same time, the Constitution provides that the impeached governor may also move to court to challenge procedural flaws or constitutional violations, which could delay or overturn the removal.
