This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu has narrowly escaped impeachment after a flurry of meetings and intense lobbying by Wiper Party Ward reps led to the withdrawal of the motion on July 15, 2020.
The motion, which was supposed to be tabled on the floor of the county assembly, was called off after the mover, Mr Peter Kilonzo (the majority leader), failed to garner the requisite two-thirds majority of 36 votes.
Wiper reps spent several hours holed up in meetings, where each was tasked with convincing their colleagues from the side backing Ms Ngilu to support the impeachment.
However, it became apparent that about 25 Assembly members had firmly decided to stand with Ms Ngilu, including some from Wiper, leading to a decision to withdraw the motion by failing to gazette it as required in law.
Mr Kilonzo told a hurriedly convened press conference that he had notified Assembly Speaker George Ndotto of his decision to drop the motion from today’s order paper due to 'unavoidable circumstances'.
Revealing the frustration of his efforts to raise the required numbers, he claimed that some of the reps who had signed up to support the impeachment motion had since changed their minds and were not even picking his calls.
Ms Ngilu's party has 12 members but it enjoys the support of ward reps from smaller political parties and independents, which ultimately led to the collapse of the impeachment bid.
