This archive report was first published on 24 June 2020.
On June 24, 2020, a significant test of public governance played out in the National Assembly, as a motion to impeach Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia failed to meet the required threshold.
The motion, brought by Nyali MP Mohammed Ali, accused the CS of gross misconduct and violating the Constitution over a policy granting a cargo transport monopoly to the standard gauge railway.
While the motion was supported by 90 out of 349 members, as required by law, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi found it lacked sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations.
This ruling is a crucial reminder that public officers cannot be hounded out of office on a whim, and that accusations must be driven by a genuine conviction to serve the public interest.
As the Speaker noted, such petitions must be accompanied by impeccable evidence to prosecute the case.
