Wajir Deputy Governor Ahmed Ali Muktar on Tuesday, May 18 is set to officially take over as Governor for Wajir County after Mohamed Abdi Mohamud was impeached by the Senate.
The gazette notice dated Monday, May 17 noted that the mandate was in accordance with Article 74 of the Constitution of Kenya which highlighted the functions of a state officer when they assume office.
"It is notified for information of the general public that the swearing-in ceremony of Ahmed Ali Muktar, as the Governor of Wajir County shall take place on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at Wajir County Headquarters," read part of the notice.
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The Senate on Monday, May 17, voted to uphold impeachment charges against Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamud.
A majority of 25 Senators voted to uphold the impeachment charges after forming an eleven-member committee to look into the case made against the Governor. The team was led by Nyamira Senator Okong'o Omogeni.
Two Senators voted against the impeachment while four abstained.
Mohamud was impeached by the Wajir County Assembly on four grounds - financial impropriety, abuse of office, gross misconduct and violation of the constitution.
The special senate committee, after looking into the charges, dropped three charges after finding insufficient evidence.
Omogeni's committee, however, recommended that the impeachment be upheld on one charge- gross violation of the constitution.
Among the issues brought forth by the Senate committee included; the debilitated health sector within the county as well as the issue of payment of contractors and county employees.
"When the health system of a county is going down and the county gives more than 20 percent of its budget to the health sector and you're hearing strikes by county employees and then you're told the majority of the equipment is not working especially in the Covid-19 period where Ksh194 million was given to the governor to cater to this issue.
"Based on that, we state that is a gross violation and we would like the House to agree with the committee," Omogeni stated.
Abdi, in his defence, disputed the claims and added that the claims issued by the committee did not constitute to gross violation of the constitution.
The governor had urged the Senate to be sympathetic and to allow him to continue serving the people of Wajir.
A statement he made, however, put in doubt his understanding of the case after he stated it would be better to be impeached for gross violation of the supreme law as opposed to gross misconduct - both charges meeting the threshold for removal from office.
"You cannot impeach me for gross misconduct, maybe for violation of the Constitution," the county boss stated.
The Wajir County Assembly had on Tuesday, April 27, voted in favour of Mohamud's impeachment in a motion supported by 36 of the 45 MCAs.
The local legislators also accused the Governor of irregularly delegating constitutional powers to his wife, Wajir First Lady Kheira Omar.
Mohamud immediately ceases to hold office after the Senate vote.
