Kericho Governor Erick Mutai has been impeached for the second time after a majority of Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) voted in favor of his impeachment.
33 County Assembly members voted to impeach him.
The Governor was accompanied to the Kericho County Assembly by his lawyer, Katwa Kigen, to defend himself against the accusations leveled against him during the impeachment hearing.
The impeachment motion, introduced on August 6, 2025, by Sigowet Ward MCA Kiprotich Rogony, cited alleged gross violations of the Constitution, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.
Specific allegations involve financial issues related to the payment of Ksh85 million to 46 companies for work that was reportedly not done, as well as goods and services that were not provided.
MCAs Impeach Governor Erick Mutai
The motion also recorded accusations of gross violations of various national and county laws, alongside serious suspicions that the Governor had committed crimes under both levels of legislation.
In an official statement addressed to the County Clerk, the same day, MCA Kiprotich Rogony outlined his intention to table the motion for the Governor’s impeachment. The letter included the proposed motion for removal, supporting evidence, and a signed list of Members endorsing the motion.
Also Read: UDA Governor Faces Impeachment Again
The following day, August 7, 2025, another MCA, Nicholas Chumba from Kedowa/Kimugul Ward, presented a similar motion, citing new evidence involving fraudulent payments, gross financial impropriety, and governance failures within the county.
Why Kericho Governor Survived the Previous Impeachment
However, the Governor addressed some of the allegations leveled against him through his lawyer, Katwa Kigen, including claims of the irregular award of county tenders.
“All the allegations brought here — about 12 in total — none state that the Governor participated in tender evaluations or awards, signed cheques for payments, procured any services or goods, executed any of the works, or withdrew money from the bank. None of the allegations point directly to him, son,” said Kigen.
Kigen also responded to allegations regarding the maintenance of 15 houses at a cost of Ksh 2.9 million.
“On the maintenance of 15 houses at Ksh 2.9 million, the Governor’s response — based on records provided by his staff — is that some work has indeed been done, though it is not yet complete and some tasks are still ongoing. The accuracy of this will be determined and addressed in due course,” he stated.
The lawyer further addressed claims involving undelivered goods, including soya beans, maize, sunflower, and cotton seeds, said to have cost the county Ksh 14 million. Kigen clarified that payment was only made upon delivery of the items.
Governor Mutai’s first impeachment occurred on October 2, 2024, when 31 out of 47 MCAs voted for his removal, also based on claims of gross violations of the Constitution, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.
This impeachment attempt happened despite a court injunction that sought to halt the proceedings. However, when the case reached the Senate, his impeachment was blocked due to questions surrounding the voting statistics.
Also Read: Senate Gives Way Forward on Kericho Governor Erick Mutai Impeachment
Governor Mutai’s legal defense, led by Katwa Kigen, argued that the Kericho County Assembly did not meet the necessary two-thirds threshold for impeachment.
Out of 47 MCAs, 31 voted for removal, but the statutory requirement was 32 votes (two-thirds of 47 is approximately 31.3, which rounds up to 32). This discrepancy rendered the motion invalid on procedural grounds. During the Senate session, the Speaker allowed a vote on this preliminary objection instead of proceeding with a full impeachment hearing. hearing.
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