This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
Published on June 17, 2020, a petition to have Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary James Macharia sacked has gained momentum with at least 100 members of the National Assembly signing it.
The petition, led by Nyali MP Mohamed Ali, accuses Mr Macharia of violating the Constitution and gross misconduct, citing his directive that all containers from the port of Mombasa must be transported on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to the Naivasha Inland Container Depot (ICD).
Mr Ali notes that the directive has led to many container freight companies closing their business and killing the economy of Mombasa, with Mr Macharia lying to Parliament on several occasions that he had allowed the cargo to be transported on road.
Mr Macharia has dismissed the petition, saying it will not distract the government from its work in building the country.
However, Mr Ali has accused Mr Macharia of perjury, saying he has lied on oath and is not fit to continue serving in the Cabinet.
Article 152 (6) of the Constitution provides that a member of the National Assembly, supported by at least one-quarter of all the members of the assembly, may propose a motion requiring the President to dismiss a Cabinet Secretary.
With 100 MPs already having signed the petition, Mr Ali is confident that the motion will be supported by at least one-third of the members of the National Assembly, paving the way for an investigation into Mr Macharia's actions.
