Over 30 MCAs back impeachment of Turkana Speaker Christopher Nakuleu

Turkana County Assembly speaker Christopher Nakuleu.[Bakari Ang'ela] An impeachment motion against Turkana County Assembly Speaker Christopher Nakuleu has been set for debate tomorrow (Tuesday). The motion by Kalokol Ward representative Michael Ebenyo, wants the Speaker removed from office for gross misconduct and abuse of office. 36 out of 46 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) backed the petition tabled as notice of special motion last Thursday, setting the stage for what is shaping to be a fierce debate. Ebenyo cites financial mismanagement, nepotism, and abuse of office as grounds for Nakuleu's impeachment. According to the originator of the motion, Nakuleu's leadership as Speaker has been 'ineffective.' Ebenyo told the assembly on Thursday that the speaker had mismanaged county assembly funds, irregularly appointed allies to key positions, and failed to address governance concerns facing the assembly. "The County Speaker has exploited his office to advance personal interests at the expense of the collective good of the County Assembly and the people of Turkana," the grounds listed in the impeachment motion read in part. The petitioner further claimed: "The County Speaker in his capacity as the chairperson of the County Assembly Service Board, has consistently engaged in unfair, opaque and unethical recruitment practices ever since assuming office." Ebenyo cited ballooning of County Assembly wage bill since 2022, saying it happened under Nakuleu's watch. "According to the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), the recommended total number of staff for Turkana County Assembly which is in category II with 30 wards is 88. However, as at now, the County Assembly of Turkana has a total of 402 staff members (including MCAs). Of the 402, only 188 were employed between 2013 and August 2022," the petitioner said in his petition. He further called for the removal of the County Assembly Speaker over non-remittance of statutory deductions, non-payment of suppliers and contractors and willful diversion of ward office operations funds among other reasons. On gross misconduct, the petitioner told the assembly that Nakuleu has on many occasions displayed hostility towards Turkana MCAs. According to him, the embattled speaker had belittled MCAs in public and had lost confidence of the ward reps. "On January 18, 2025, while attending a burial in Canaan Village within Lodwar town, the Speaker made comments expressly indicating that MCAs have become 'tenderpreneurs' and that he will do a scorecard for the MCAs," Ebenyo said. He also wants Nakuleu removed for incompetence and failing to foster fairness and impartiality among other claims. MCAs opposing the proposed impeachment questioned the legitimacy of the process. Lokichar MCA Samuel Lomodo alleged that signatures of supporters of the petition were duplicated to inflate support for the motion, raising concerns about whether the impeachment truly meets the required threshold of 31 votes. "If the numbers have been manipulated, then this is nothing more than a coup. The Speaker is being targeted for political reasons, not for leadership failures," Lomodo said. In a response on Friday, Nakuleu's claimed he was being persecuted for administrative issues that had nothing to do with his conduct as Speaker. "This is not about accountability but an attempt to silence oversight and weaken the independence of the assembly," said the Speaker. For the motion to succeed, at least 31 MCAs must vote in its favor.

Over 30 MCAs back impeachment of Turkana Speaker Christopher Nakuleu

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Over 30 MCAs back impeachment of Turkana Speaker Christopher Nakuleu

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