Divided MCAs fail in bid to oust Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua

Machakos Governor Dr Alfred Mutua addresses during the launch of his party Maendeleo Chap Chap at Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi. A plan to impeach the governor appears to have hit a wall. (PHOTO: BONIFACE OKENDO/ STANDARD)

A plan to impeach Governor Alfred Mutua appears to have hit a wall.

Sources said MCAs who had earlier signed up to support an impeachment motion against the governor had withdrawn after his allies reportedly prevailed on them to drop their bid.

However, the MCAs, mainly from the CORD coalition, have kicked out Majority Leader Joshua Mwonga, a close ally of the governor, and replaced him with his Kivaa counterpart Alexander Kathinzi.

Mr Mwonga, the Masinga Central MCA, has been accused of siding with the governor even after rebelling against his Wiper party.

The MCA, who addressed journalists at the County Assembly soon after his ouster, said he was removed for supporting Mutua and refusing to support the governor’s impeachment.

Required threshold

“There are those who signed the document in support of the governor’s impeachment. I want to tell them that the motion will not see the light of day,” said a defiant Mwonga.

“I am sure those planning to impeach the governor will not achieve the required threshold to do so. I would rather lose this position than continue enjoying its benefits and support the removal of a hardworking governor,” he added. “I am prepared for the 2017 elections and I know the people of Masinga will re-elect me.”

During an earlier media briefing, Kola MCA Festus Ndeto announced that up to 46 MCAs out of the 59 had appended their signatures in support of Mutua’s impeachment.

The MCA cited poor leadership, corruption, abuse of office and failure to adhere to procurement procedures as some of the reasons why they wanted to kick Mr Mutua out.

While unveiling the statue of former politician Mulu Mutisya last week, Mutua claimed some MCAs had been blackmailing him to bribe them so they could shoot down the impeachment motion when it comes up in the assembly.

Mutua said he would not be cowed and dared the MCAs to go ahead and try and impeach him.