Senators to Hold Special Sitting to Discuss Waititu’s Impeachment

The Senate is next week set to discuss the impeachment of embattled Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.

This comes after Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka recalled Senators from their recess for a special sitting on Tuesday, January 21st to debate the matter. In a special gazette notice, Speaker Lusaka said he convened the sitting on the request of Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen who mobilized the support of the required number of Senators for the session.

Governor Waititu, who is facing graft charges, was impeached by the Kiambu County Assembly on December 19th last year. 63 of the total 92 MCAs are said to have voted in favor of the impeachment motion against Governor Waititu while only one voted against. The remaining ward representatives were absent. 

The motion tabled by Ndenderu Ward Representative Solomon Kinuthia cited gross misconduct and abuse of office as the main grounds for Waititu’s impeachment. Kinuthia also accused Waititu of flouting the public procurement and disposal act by influencing the award of contracts to companies associated with his immediate family and close relatives.

Governor Waititu also faced another accusation of violating the constitution by forcefully dispossessing and unlawfully occupying a parcel of land in Thika belonging to Cecilia Njoki Mbugua, a widow.

In a letter to Speaker Lusaka last month, Governor Waititu asked Senators to quash the impeachment, saying that it was unlawful as there was no quorum during the proceedings. Waititu claimed that only 57 MCAs were present during the motion which required a majority of 62.