Kiambu Governor Nyoro nominates Joyce Ngugi as deputy

Governor James Nyoro during his swearing-in ceremony in January. Inset: His nominee Joyce Ngugi. [File, Standard]

Kiambu Governor James Nyoro on Thursday nominated Joyce Ngugi Wanjiiku as his Deputy.

Joyce is the widow of former Gatundu South MP Joseph Ngugi.

Nyoro also made changes in the county’s cabinet, saying he is determined to change operations in Kiambu.

He occupied the top county job after the Senate upheld the ouster of former governor Ferdinand Waititu in January.

Nyoro was then deputy governor of Kiambu.

On January 29, the Senate voted for the removal of Governor Waititu after finding him guilty of three charges which were tabled before it by Kiambu County Assembly.

Waititu became the first governor to be found guilty by the Senate. 

Senate Speaker Lusaka stated the three main charges namely; Gross misconduct, abuse of office and engaging in corruption.

Below, are the three charges Waititu faced:

·         That Senate resolves to remove from office Governor Waititu for gross violation of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, the County Governments Act, 2012, the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 and the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, 2005.

·         That Senate resolves to remove from office Governor Waititu for crimes under the National Law.

·         That Senate resolves to remove from office Governor Waititu for Abuse of office and gross misconduct.

In the first charge, 27 Senators voted for his removal against 10 who objected. The number grew as one member shifted to support the motion for the second and third charges making it 28 for those supporting and 11 for those objecting.

In his defence, through his lawyers, Waititu argued that the process was not procedural as it was not supported by the required two-thirds of Members of Kiambu County Assembly.

Earlier, Nyoro denied appointing Absa Marketing and Corporate Relations Director Caroline Ndung’u as the new deputy governor.

Talking to the media on Thursday, Governor Nyoro disputed reports that he had picked Ndung’u to deputise him in the running of the county, after succeeding Ferdinand Waititu.

 Joyce Ngugi holds a Master’s degree in counselling psychology in Education from Kenyatta University.

The mother of two vied for the Gatundu South Parliamentary seat in 2017 but opted out citing threats from competitors.