A notice to impeach West Pokot County Assembly speaker Catherine Mukenyang has been filed with the petitioner alleging that the speaker has for grossly violated the law and abused her powers as the speaker.
The notice filed by Endough Ward Member of County Assembly Evanson Lomaduny accuses the speaker of abuse of office, gross violation of the public finance management Act and the public procurement and disposal Act and gross misconduct.
The speaker now has five days where she will have to face the committee of the whole house to exonerate her.
The speaker has been embroiled in persistent wrangles with her staff after she called a meeting that was contested by the leader of majority and minority of the legislative arm of the county government.
Twenty six members of the County Assembly out of thirty three MCAs have already appended their signatures in support of the impeachment motion.
The leader of majority Ngolesia Thomas, leader of minority Peter Lokor and deputy speaker Francis Krop were among the first members of County Assembly to sign the petition motion for removal of the county speaker.
In a letter written to the speaker by West Pokot County Assembly clerk David Karugutiang dated August 24th 2021 the speaker was notified of her impeachment motion and also she was asked to prepare a response when invited to appear before the County Assembly plenary on Tuesday 7th September 2021 at 10.00am.
“My office is in receipt of a notice motion dated 9th August 2021 seeking your removal from the office on various grounds and whose basis is an invocation of section 11 of the County Assembly Act.” Read part of the letter.
The letter further stated that verification exercise has been undertaken in compliance with the law and the clerk was satisfied that the motion has met the required minimums for tabling under the act.
In his impeachment motion Hon Lomaduny cited that the speaker attempted to irregularly employ staff on contract of three years without following due process of recruitment with a view to rewarding her political cronies.
“She never sought the advice of the human resource office to ascertain the needs of departments before settling on recruitment.” He said.
On gross misconduct the speaker has been accused of inciting a section of County Assembly staff to create groups of violence and chaos at the County Assembly.
The speaker is also accused of being paid shs 590,600 on 21st march 2018 without any justification.
He said in 2018 the speaker undertook the role of the clerk and she went ahead to approve expenditures despite the existence of the deputy clerk at that time.
The speaker is facing a number of accusations which also include involving herself directly in supplying goods and services like raw milk to the County Assembly.
The County Assembly speaker Mrs Mukenyang has only seven members of the County Assembly who have not signed to petition her removal.
When contacted for a comment the speaker said the matter is politically instigated by her political opponents arguing that she will fight the matter legally.
