Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju on Monday, December 9, met members of the county assembly of Kiambu who had earlier tabled motions to impeach Governor Ferdinand Waititu and Deputy Governor James Nyoro respectively.
In a statement seen by Kenyans.co.ke, after the meeting with Tuju, the motion to impeach Nyoro was withdrawn by its mover Witeithie MCA Julius Taki.
Through a letter to the county assembly speaker on December 10, Taki confirmed that the meeting with Tuju led to an agreement with the ruling party leadership on cooling the political temperatures that have rocked the county.
“Following a consultative meeting of members of the county assembly from the Jubilee Party held on Monday, 9 2019 at Jubilee headquarters, the Jubilee Party requested the members of county assembly to seek reconciliation as a way of resolving the issue of pending removal of the governor as well as the deputy governor.
“Further, the party reached out to the sponsors of the two motions and urged them to withdraw the same,” read Taki’s statement.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Kiambu county Sports CEC Karungo Thang'wa confirmed the happening of the meeting indicating his hopes that the motion to impeach the governor would also be struck out.
"Both movers were summoned by the Party Secretary-General. We now await to see whether the mover of the motion to impeach Waititu will follow suit," remarked Karungo.
In light of the meeting held under the leadership of the party’s top brass, the MCA confirmed withdrawal of his motion, giving a break to Nyoro’s impending ouster that would have left the county in a leadership crisis.
“In view of the above and pursuant [to] provisions of standing order 71(2), I wish to withdraw the motion of removal of the deputy governor,” further read the statement.
On December 3 2019, the Kiambu county assembly got braced by a showdown as two MCAs from rivalling sides presented motions of impeachment for the governor and deputy governor respectively.
The motion to impeach Waititu was tabled by Ndenderu MCA Solomon Kinuthia shortly after Julius Taki presented a motion of impeachment for deputy governor James Nyoro.
In the petition against Waititu, the county boss was accused of hiring over 600 casuals without the involvement of the County Public Service Board before later firing them.
According to the MCAs this exposed the county to risk of multiple lawsuits and loss of public funds and the probability of hiring unqualified staff.
Kinuthia also accused Waititu of contravening the Public Procurement and Disposal Act by allegedly influencing the award of lucrative tenders to companies associated with his close allies and family members.
Waititu was also accused of violation of the law by forcefully dispossessing and unlawfully occupying the property of Cecilia Njoki Mbugua, a Thika widow.
On the other hand, Julius Taki accused Nyoro of gross violation of the Constitution and the County Governments Act.
Taki also accused Nyoro of unlawfully assuming the office of the governor when Waititu was denied access to his office by the High Court pending the hearing of a Ksh588 million corruption case against him.
