Kirinyaga Governor Joseph Ndathi has called for the amendment of the County Government Act to deny MCAs powers to impeach governors. The governor argued that the Act is unconstitutional as it gives MCAs power to remove duly elected governor from office through flimsy grounds.
He said many county governors are under siege and cannot work well after being intimidated with impeachment threats by MCAs The governor said that MCAs are coming up with a raft of accusations which are quickly drafted and presented to the assembly every time governors fail to part with money or they differ on issues touching on operations of their counties.
He noted that the Act gives undue power to assemblies and the Senate, a move he pointed out has been misused. Ndathi insisted that governors are duly elected like any other leaders through sovereign process and should not be removed from office through flimsy excuses.
Speaking on Saturday at Njega primary School after donating water tanks worth Sh4 million to various groups, Ndathi said if a county boss has violated the Constitution, he or she should be investigated by an independent body and later be subjected to a judicial process before being removed by the Senate.
He singled out violation of the Constitution and procurement as two items which have been abused by MCAs whenever they differ with their bosses. “How can a prefect remove a head teacher or principal in a school?
We can’t continue this way and we are telling the National Assembly that this Act is unconstitutional and should be amended fast for the smooth running of the counties,’’ said Ndathi.
He also dismissed proposed amendment by Eldas MP Adan Keynan to give Members of the National Assembly powers to impeach governors after a petition by one of the electorate, terming the proposed amendment as absurd. He said the amendment should be dismissed warning that if the motion sails through, the Council of Governors would move to court to challenge its constitutionality.
Last week, Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria was impeached by the County Assembly over accusations including failing to manage county debt of Sh 2.5 billion.
Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya also faces revolt over Sh400 million bursary kitty with MCAs threatening to send him home. However, his Nyeri counterpart survived the ouster after taking his MCAs to a retreat in Nanyuki where they are said to have buried their differences.
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