Marsabit Woman Representative Naomi Waqo chaired the eleven-member National Assembly Special Committee selected to probe the impeachment motion against Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi.
Linturi won the fight against his impeachment which had been sponsored by Bumula Member of Parliament Jack Wamboka.
The committee found that the allegations leveled against him were not substantiated as 7 out of the 11 members voted in favor of the CS while 4 voted against.
Led by the committee’s chair, Naomi Waqo, the six other MPs who voted against Linturi’s ouster include Kitui South MP Rachel Nyamai, Ainaboi MP Samwel Chepkonga, Tharaka Nithi MP George Murugara, Malava MP Malulu Injendi, Matuga MP Kassim Tandaza and Kirinyaga MP Jane Maina.
“The allegation underground one on gross violation of the Constitution or any other law. Ground two on serious reasons for believing that the CS has committed a crime under a national law and ground three on the gross misconduct as outlined in the special motion are unsubstantiated,” said Waqo.
However, four members of the committee who hail from Azimio Coalition including Robert Mbui (Kathiani), T.J.Kajwang (Ruaraka), Catherine Omanyo (Busia) and Yussuf Farah (Wajir West) supported the motion to impeach Linturi.
The CS was accused of approving the procurement and distribution of fake fertilizer by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and failing to exercise public trust and transparency in his duties.
Naomi Waqo Education
The Marsabit Woman Representative holds an advanced diploma in Theology from St Pauls University.
She pursued Master of Arts in philosophy of religious studies at university of Oslo Norway between 1998 and 2000.
Waqo also attended University of Wales, in United Kingdom where she pursued Master of Arts in Community Care.
Also Read: Not Yet Over: Wamboka Reveals Next Step After Linturi Survival
Political Career
Naomi Waqo joined politics in 2017 when she was nominated to the Senate of Kenya under Jubilee Party.
During this time, she served as the Chairperson of the Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity, and Regional Integration.
Waqo was also Vice Chairperson in Committee of Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights between 2019 to 2022. In addition, she served as a member of the standing Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries.
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She gained political experience during this period and joined President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) prior to the 2022 general elections.
As such, Waqo contested for the Marsabit Woman Representative position and defeated incumbent Woman representative Safia Sheikh Adan in 2022.
Anglican Church of Kenya
Naomi Waqo started her Leadership career in 2003 to 2005 as an Administrator and Development Coordinator in the Anglican Churche of Kenya (ACK).
Between 2005 and 2012, she served as St Nicolas Development Center Director before being moved to a Dioecian Administrative Secretary.
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