After dialogue appears to have failed, Nyamira County Governor Amos Nyaribo’s United Progressive Alliance (UPA) party on Monday sought to whip its members to shoot down the impeachment motion set to be debated today (Tuesday).
Governor Nyaribo is the party leader of the UPA which enjoys majority membership in the Nyamira County Assembly.
Nyamira has 20 elected and 15 nominated MCAs: the UPA has (six), Orange Democratic Movement (four), Jubilee (two), and Ford Kenya (two).
Wiper, United Democratic Alliance, Amani National Congress, PPOK and KNC have one MCA each. There is one ward rep elected on an independent ticket.
Both elected and nominated MCAs put together, the UPA has nine members.
The party, however, lost its majority leader Elijah Osiemo in the Assembly through a grisly road accident last month.
In a letter to all party members in the Nyamira County Assembly, UPA Secretary General Jacob Bagaka threatened disciplinary action against anyone who won’t vote to save their party boss from the axe.
“The Party hereby directs all the UPA Party Members of the Nyamira County Assembly to oppose and/or shoot down the above Motion for removal from Office of Mr Amos Kimwomi Nyaribo, the Governor, Nyamira County Government sponsored by Mr Reuben Miinda Riechi,” Mr Bagaka’s letter reads in part.
Mr Bagaka noted that it is the UPA party position that must not be contravened as per Article 4.5. (v) of the party constitution, which requires members to observe and comply with decisions made by regular party organs.
“Any Member of the UPA Party who appends his signature to the said Motion supports the same, advocates for the same and votes in favour of the said Motion, shall be deemed to have breached Article 4.5.1 (v) of the UPA constitution and shall be liable for disciplinary action contemplated for under Article 4.6.1 (ii) & (iii) of the UPA constitution which calls for Termination of Party Membership,” the correspondence continues to read.
It, however, remains to be seen, whether the three-year-old party which was until recently engaged in internal leadership wrangles, will be able to marshal its troops to stop the removal of Mr. Nyaribo from the helm of the County Government.
On his part, UPA National Chairman and Rigoma Ward MCA Nyambega Gisesa wants Nyamira deputy governor Dr. James Gesami to declare his stand on the impeachment push.
Mr Gisesa averred that Dr Gesami stands to benefit in the event that his boss is kicked out, therefore it is imperative that he makes his stand known.
Meanwhile, the Daily Nation has established that the UPA party has since approached other Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition affiliate parties like the ODM to help them rescue Mr Nyaribo.
As such, the ODM and other Azimio-friendly parties, have reportedly approached their MCAs to give dialogue a chance.
The impeachment motion which was tabled by Esise Ward MCA Josiah Mang’era wants Mr Nyaribo shown the door pursuant to Articles 8(1), (a),(b),(c) of the Constitution of Kenya, Section 33 of the County Government’s Act (2012) and Standing Order No.62 of the Nyamira County Assembly.
Mr Mang’era accuses Mr Nyaribo of upsetting the standards of the law by allegedly cherry-picking Godfrey Nyang’au and Elmelda Nyaberi to serve as director of human resource management and human resource officer, respectively.
The governor is further accused of disobeying a court order by Justice Christine Baari that ruled the appointment of Mr Nyang’au and Ms Nyaberi illegal.
In May 2023, the motion mover accused the governor of bypassing the County Assembly when he suspended the CEO of the County Public Service Board in the middle of an active recruitment exercise.
The suspended CEO, the motion states, was replaced by a junior and unqualified officer.
Also, Mr Mang’era wants Mr Nyaribo removed from office over alleged nepotism and favouritism, non-remittance of statutory deductions, irregular reallocation of emergency funds, dysfunctional revenue automation system and failure to complete the construction of the county headquarters’ office complex.
Practicing nepotism and favouritism in appointments and disobeying a court order Failing to remit statutory deductions Irregular reallocation of emergency funds, Running a dysfunctional revenue automation system Failure to complete the construction of the county headquarters’ office complex.
