The senate on Thursday, March 14 upheld a resolution by Kisii Members of the County Assembly to impeach Deputy Governor Dr Robert Monda.
Dr Monda faced a Senate plenary on Wednesday, March 13 after he was impeached by Kisii Members of County Assembly (MCAs).
The DG denied the charges of gross misconduct, abuse of office, violating the Constitution and crimes under national law.
“Senators have voted to uphold the removal from office of Kisii County Deputy Governor Robert Monda by impeachment,” announced Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.
The speaker announced the results as follows based on various charges that Monda was facing:
1.Gross violation of the Constitution or any other law – 39/43
2.Abuse of Office – 39/43
3.Gross Misconduct – 35/43
4.Crimes Under National Law – 32/43
Kisii DG Defense
The Kisii DG on his part acknowledged that his relationship with Governor Simba Arati on official matters has been strained since the time they came into office, noting that he was convinced the impeachment was as a result of their differences.
“Indeed, I’m convinced that it is from that perspective I am before this Senate today on a matter of impeachment because of the official questions and discussions I’ve tried to hold with the Governor, and we do not seem to pull together.
“One of them is the question of the budget absorption where for two consecutive years we have remained number 47 out of 47 in development resource absorption,” he told the house.
While making his submission he noted that the County recorded a 13.9% of the resource absorption which has vehemently shifted in the first quarter of 2024, where it has recorded 1.7% of the resource absorption.
He was accused of receiving a bribe of Ksh 800,000 from Dennis Mokaya and his family to secure a job at the Gusii Water and Sanitation Company (GWASCO).
It was further alleged that he then sent Ksh 100,000 to GWASCO’s Managing Director to influence Mokaya’s employment, but this request was rejected.
Monda further noted that he had indicated that he sent money erroneously to the GWASCO MD, going on to sleep without noticing the error.
“The next morning Lucy (thewife) called me and told me about this money. I asked her to send back the money, but she told me that she was already at the airport trying to fly out to Nairobi from Kisumu. She asked me to reverse, which I’ve already indicated that I didn’t have the technology to reverse the money,” he explained.
He further indicated that the MD later informed him that she would transact the money later as she was entering a crucial meeting.
On the issue of reversing the money, he said that he came to learn that Lucy having received the Ksh100,000 immediately spent Ksh5,000 as per the transactions’ statements.
He defended himself indicating that the reversal would have been impossible if the total money that had been sent was already consumed by the receiver.
Besides, Monda was accused of misusing the County’s enforcement officers by deploying them to arrest his brother for felling trees.
National Assembly Blocks Osoro
Kingi blocked National Assembly Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro from representing Dr Monda during the first day of the session.
The speaker cited a potential conflict of interest due to the separation of powers.
“I therefore direct that the Hon Silvanus Osoro, MP cease forthwith to serve as part of the legal team for the Deputy Governor,” stated Speaker Kingi.
The County Assembly presented evidence supporting its impeachment decision, with five witnesses testifying.
The DG and his defense team were given an opportunity to answer to the charges tabled by the MCAs on Thursday, March 14.
Also Read: Orengo Impeachment: Speaker Sets Record Straight
Kisii MCAs Impeach the Deputy Governor
Dr Monda was impeached by the MCAs on February 29 after 53 members voted in favour of the ouster motion.
However, 15 voted against his removal from office, one vote was spoiled while another member abstained.
Ichuni MCA Wycliffe Siocha, who tabled the impeachment motion, said it was part of his oversight role which he took an oath to protect.
“Yes, Monda was my friend, but I had to balance between the interest of our people in doing this,” he said.
However, the 15 MCAs opposed the impeachment arguing that it was a threat to democracy.
“The motion was already predetermined. Only today was the deputy governor given the contents of the motion. It signals the worrying trend that we can assassinate democracy at will,” Bikimonge MCA Amos Onderi said.
Also Read: Senators Save Kawira Mwangaza from Impeachment
Siaya DG Impeachment Drama
This came after the Kenya Kwanza senators saved Siaya DG William Oduol from impeachment in a politically heated voting session on June 26, 2023
A Senate Special committee chaired by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator William Kisang found Oduol guilty of two charges: gross violation of the constitution and abuse of office and gross misconduct.
27 Kenya Kwanza Senators voted against each of the two charges the Oduol faced against the Azimio’s 16 who voted to uphold the charges.
