Erick Mutai: Impeached Kericho Governor Declares His Ouster Null and Void
- Kericho governor Erick Mutai was impeached when 33 out of 47 Members of the County Assembly voted in support
- However, Mutai has publicly dismissed his impeachment, highlighting how the system was rigged before the actual voting took place
- He mentioned that he would present some of the evidence he gathered when he heads to the Senate
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Faith Chandianya, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and Current Affairs in Kenya
Kericho governor Erick Mutai has broken his silence hours after he was impeached by the Members of the County Assembly on Friday, August 15.
Source: Twitter
His impeachment motion was sponsored by the Sigowet Ward representative, Kiprotich Rogony, who had accused the governor, among other things, of abuse of office.
Did Erick Mutai dismiss his impeachment?
While speaking to the press, Mutai dismissed his impeachment by Kericho MCAs, claiming that the process was rigged.
"There was no impeachment in Kericho. We raised our issues on the floor of the house, and we came in person. We raised our issues that an election has been held," Mutai said.
He alleged that he knew that there were some MCAs who had already been given the link to pre-vote ahead of the actual impeachment process.
"That explains why at the beginning of the voting, it began with six votes. Not one vote but six votes. Then it went to around 20-something, then in a short time it went to 32, then 33," Mutai argued.
Was there rigging during Mutai's impeachment?
Boldly, Mutai stated that a rigged system was put in place, and the results that saw him impeached had already been predetermined.
He questioned why some MCAs allegedly resorted to voting through text messages when 47 others were already present.
Mutai stated that he has no problem being removed from office as long as the process is done in a free and fair manner.
"We only asked for a simple thing, which is fairness. I said as the governor of the county that if there is a mistake. If the Assembly feels like they should impeach me, then I am ready to go home with my head high, for here fairness and justice are done," he added.
"We know the system does not meet the standards, it has not been verified by the IEBC. I have not been verified by any government authority body."
He hinted at how he would be heading to court to challenge his impeachment.
MCAs fight after Mutai's ouster
This came hours after chaos erupted at the Kericho county assembly on Friday, August 15, after MCAs impeached Mutai for the second time.
Moments after Speaker Patrick Mutai announced the impeachment results, violence erupted in the chambers.
Source: UGC
Opposing camps charged at one another. MCAs in support of the impeachment broke into ululations and salutes while those against his impeachment shouted in protest.
Moments later, male members pushed and grabbed each other's ties as chaos broke out in the chambers.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
