Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya while addressing the media in Kisumu on September 16, 2020. [File, Standard]
Governors have asked a court to order that they should remain in office even when charged with criminal offences.
In a case filed yesterday, the Council of Governors chair Wycliffe Oparanya said county chiefs have been victims of political witch-hunt and that some cases are only used to kick them out of office unfairly.
“A major trend has arisen in the prosecution of corruption and economic crime cases where governors are targeted for prosecution and removed from office during which Constitution provisions on removal of governors are breached,” Oparanya said in court papers filed through lawyer Peter Wanyama.
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He said governors can only be removed from office through an election or if impeached, according to the Constitution. He said they're mistreated as other State officers facing similar charges, including MPs, are handled with kid gloves.
“There is a special procedure for removal of governors from office, through a recall or impeachment. The concept of stepping aside has presented difficulties in running the county governments,” the Kakamega governor said.
