This archive report was first published on 22 October 2019.
Published on October 22, 2019, the Senate select committee, chaired by Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga, has begun scrutinizing documents presented by various parties in the impeachment motion of Governor Granton Samboja.
The committee had invited the governor to appear to defend himself against the allegations raised, but his counsel, Nelson Havi, confirmed that the governor would not honour the invite.
Mr Havi argued that the court had made preliminary findings that the governor was not accorded a fair hearing before the impeachment by Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).
“Senate is applying an ostrich mentality in this process. In the impeachment of Embu Governor Martin Wambora, the court found that despite issuing an order, Senate still went ahead and impeach the governor. It would be an annulity,” said Havi.
Section 33 (b) of the County Governments Act and Standing Order Number 75 provide for the Senate to probe and debate proposed impeachment of a governor by county assembly.
However, senators are relying on Standing Order 98(5), which gives the Speaker the discretion to determine if the matter can go on or not.
