24 MCAs hold ‘sleepover’ at the Kirinyaga County Asembly as Governor Waiguru impeachment hots up

24 out of the 33 MCAs who make up the Kirinyaga county assembly spent their Monday night at the assembly ahead of Governor Anne Waiguru impeachment motion slated for Tuesday.

The MCA’s were holed up at the assembly with their phones switched off to “protect their numbers”.

Waiguru is facing ouster for among other accusations; corruption and abuse of office.

The MCA claim their attempts at getting audience with the Governor had been futile owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to Citizen TV’s Daybreak on Tuesday morning, Mutiira Ward MCA Kinyua Wangui said the assembly had already served Governor Waiguru with the notice on the motion on email and hard copy.

“We have put in place measures to ensure everyone is safe especially the governor who claims she has a pre-existing condition, yesterday, we sent her a hand-delivered letter and also sent the same to her e-mail” Wangui said.

Wangui expressed optimism that the motion would fly through, noting that only 22 MCAs are needed for the impeachment motion to fly through.

The vocal MCA at the same time noted that it was upon the governor to show up at the assembly because the motion would still go on as planned.

In April the High Court had stopped the motion after Governor Waiguru explained she suffers from an existing condition that puts her at risk of severe effects should she be exposed to the coronavirus.

She also noted that many offices were closed, and she could not get documents to support her case.

In March, Waiguru had watered down the impeachment motion describing the move as petty and frivolous.

According to the governor, the world was focused on fighting the coronavirus pandemic but the MCAs were hellbent on political brinkmanship by filing a motion to impeach her.

“The issues raised are so basic that they are an embarrassment to the Constitution that they seek to protect and the County that elected these MCAs,” she said.

In a scathing statement, Governor Waiguru rubbished the allegation that she violated the Constitution by not making a state-of-county address.

According to her, the law does not require such an address be made at the County Assembly.

“Such an address was given to the County Assembly in the first year in November 2018 and a similar one at the Kerugoya Hospital after the then health crisis, given publicly to the people of Kirinyaga on September 12, 2019 and the Assembly duly notified,” she said.
Governor Waiguru also poured cold water on the claims that she awarded several irregular tenders.

She noted that the nexus between the tenders and her office was not shown.

“There is not a single indication of personal benefit to me, my relatives or friends. They are just thrown there for publicity and propaganda,” the statement reads.

She stated that the vehicle mentioned in the notice of impeachment and alleged to have been bought without a tender was procured under a Government framework negotiated by the National Government’s Ministry of Public Works.

She faulted MCAs for planning to file the motion of impeachment at a time when county employees are working from home and are unable to prepare any defense saying: “This is ultimate travesty.”

Her statement also insinuated that the MCAs ultimate intention is to make her concede to illegal requests for tenders and money.

She concluded the statement saying: “As for those pulling strings from outside the County Assembly because of the 2022 politics, time will find you out.”