Governor Waiguru loses bid to stop ouster motion

The fate of impeached Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru (pictured) now lies in the hands of the Senate after the High Court declined to stop the process.

Justice Weldon Korir yesterday ruled that he cannot stop senators from discussing the impeachment motion presented to Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka by members of the Kirinyiga County Assembly after they voted to impeach the governor on Tuesday.

According to the judge, the 23 MCAs who participated and passed the motion to impeach Waiguru acted within their mandate and the law and that stopping the Senate from discussing the ouster motion will be interfering with their functions.

Justice Korir’s decision was a setback for Waiguru’s fight for survival, with the Senate set to decide whether to refer her ouster to a select committee or if it will be handled by the full plenary.

The MCAs voted to impeach Waiguru over allegations of gross violation of the Constitution by failing to deliver the annual State of the County address to the County Assembly.

They further accused her of using her office to illegally confer a benefit to herself when she was irregularly paid travel allowances amounting to Sh10.6 million yet she did not travel as claimed.

Waiguru, in her petition, argued that she was not given a fair chance to defend herself and the resolution to oust her was a mockery of justice.

Through lawyer Waweru Gatonye, she claimed the decision was reached in contempt of a court order that had stopped the assembly from debating her ouster.

Justice Korir on April 7 stopped the County Assembly from debating the motion to impeach Waiguru until July 2 when the case is scheduled for hearing.

Despite the order being in force, the assembly passed the impeachment motion and handed its report to Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka.