Senator Malala elected to chair committee on Waiguru impeachment

The Senate select committee that will hear the impeachment motion against embattled Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru on Wednesday elected Cleophas Malala as chairman and Abshiro Halake as his deputy during its first sitting.

Malala, the Kakamega Senator, was elected unopposed by the 9 members present out of the 11-member committee while nominated Senator Halake beat Nyandarua’s Paul Mwangi Githiomi by 5 votes to 4.

Senator Malala, speaking after his election, said the committee has 10 days to “make a fair judgement” and will submit its report by Friday next week.

While thanking the members for electing him, Malala also urged the committee to rise to the occasion since “the stakes are high” and “the focal attention is on us.”

“I assure the public that we shall be impartial…We will allow all litigants to appear before us,” said the Kakamega legislator.

Governor Waiguru on Tuesday survived the first hurdle in her ouster attempt after the Senate voted to prosecute the impeachment motion through a select committee and not a plenary session.

In a sitting characterized by fiery exchanges and a barrage of points of order, 45 senators voted in favor of a committee while 14 preferred a plenary hearing, similar to the one that sent the then Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu home.

Waiguru now needs the support of only six out of 11 senators, who had their first sitting on Wednesday, to keep her governor’s job.

The 11-member team is composed of:

1. Sen. Abshiro Halake
2. Sen.Michael Mbito
3. Sen. Mwangi Paul Githiomi
4. Sen. Beth Mugo
5. Sen. Anuar Loitiptip
6. Sen. Philip Mpaayei
7. Sen. Cleophas Malalah
8. Sen. Beatrice Kwamboka
9. Sen. Stewart Madzayo
10. Sen. Judith Pareno
11. Sen. Moses Kajwang’