Ward reps plot to impeach Nairobi Speaker Elachi

A section of Nairobi MCAs showing signatures they have collected for the impeachment of Speaker Beatrice Elachi. They accused her of abuse of office. [Samson Wire, Standard]

A plot is being hatched by some Jubilee MCAs to impeach Speaker Beatrice Elachi for the second time.

Led by Majority Whip Chege Waithera, the MCAs yesterday began collecting signatures to oust Ms Elachi barely a month after she resumed office. 

A petition seen by The Standard indicated that the MCAs had already collected 62 signatures by the time of going to press. 

Speaking yesterday, the MCAs vowed to oust Elachi on the same grounds that saw her hounded out of office in September last year.

Elachi was then accused of undermining the authority of the County Assembly Service Board, abuse of office, gross misconduct and failure to provide leadership.

Waithaka Ward MCA Anthony Kiragu criticised the court’s decision to reinstate Elachi, saying the assembly will marshal the requisite numbers to send her packing for good this time.

“Last year, 103 out of 107 MCAs voted for her to go home. We will vote for her to go again. The court faulted the process which we used to remove her. This time the right procedure will be followed,"said Mr Kiragu.

Kiragu, who is also the chairman of the Lands and Planning Committee, explained that the County Assembly House Business Committee will convene and set an appropriate date for the debate of the impeachment motion.

"The committee will sit today and will set the agenda. We are hopeful that the impeachment motion will be slotted in for debate,” Kiragu said.

The ward representatives further took a swipe at Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, accusing him of meddling in the city assembly affairs.

“Tuju should be reminded that he is a visitor in Jubilee since his party is called POA. As MCAs, we will do what needs to be done to restore sanity in the Nairobi county assembly,” said Kiragu.