Sonko, MCAs to furnish Senate with impeachment particulars by Monday

Impeached Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and the county Assembly began submitting their documents to the Senate yesterday as they prepare to argue their case next week.

The two parties have three days to furnish the Senate Clerk with their evidence.

Speaker Ken Lusaka told The Standard yesterday that the governor and the county Assembly have until Monday to file the particulars and responses ahead of the Senate plenary probe on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Senate will convene for a special sitting on Wednesday and Thursday to hear the submissions and cross-examine the embattled governor and his accusers.

Plenary probe

“The Senate will make a determination on Thursday on the impeachment case after the two-day plenary probe,” Lusaka said.

Sonko was impeached last week by the county Assembly, which accused him of gross violation of the Constitution and subsidiary laws, abuse of office and gross misconduct.

Senate Majority Whip Irungu Kangata and his Minority counterpart Mutula Kilonzo Jnr said the parties started submitting their documents yesterday.

“The three days lapse on Monday,” Kangata said.

The MCAs accused Sonko of using public funds to pay for his daughter’s travel to New York, US, to attend the County First Lady’s Conference in 2018.

They said the governor “persistently intimidated, harassed and molested officers of the county executive, including blackmailing his executive committee with one-year contracts.”

They also listed Sonko’s refusal to approve a Sh37.4 billion budget to facilitate the operations of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services in their impeachment motion.

“The governor grossly violated Article 201 of the Constitution on prudent use of resources, Section 159 of the PFM Act as read together with Section 7 of the Nairobi City County Tax Waivers Administrations Act 2013 by unilaterally and arbitrarily issuing waivers in total disregard of the law,” reads the charge.

Yesterday, the sponsor of the impeachment motion, Minority Leader Michael Ogada, exuded confidence that Sonko’s ouster will be sustained by the Senate.

But in a departure from past practice, Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio declined to move a motion for the establishment of an 11-member select committee to inquire into the matter and table a report in the House.

The Standard established through senators, Poghisio was forced to drop the proposed names to the committee, which included Samson Cherargei (Nandi-Jubilee), Okongo Omogeni (Nyamira-ODM), Abdullahi Ali (Wajir-Jubilee), Hargura Godana (Marsabit-Jubilee), Charles Kibiru (Kirinyaga-Independent) and Alice Milgo (Nominated-Jubilee).

Others were Fred Outa (Kisumu-ODM), Mohammed Faki (Mombasa-ODM), Judy Pareno (Nominated-ODM), Christine Zawadi (Nominated-Jubilee) and Petronilla Were (Nominated-ANC).

Showdown

“Senator Omogeni was proposed to chair the committee, deputised by Godana. However, this was not possible as the mood in the House was to shoot down the list. We averted a showdown on the floor of the House,” a senator said.

Some of the governors who have survived the impeachment process at the floor of the Senate include Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), Mwangi Wa Iria (Muranga), Granton Samboja (Taita Taveta), Nderitu Gachagua(deceased, Nyeri) and Ann Waiguru (Kirinyaga).

Kiambu’s Ferdinand Waititu’s impeachment was confirmed at the Senate.