Former County Assembly Speakers have criticized the role Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) play in the impeachment of County Speakers and governors.
Johnson Osoi who is the former Kajiado Speaker said such power is prone to abuse.
Moreover, Osoi stated that the power to impeach a County Speaker should not be entirely bestowed on the MCAs.
According to the former speaker, the power to oust a speaker should be shared by the Senate.
Likewise, Osoi added that internal conflicts within the County Assembly can leave the speaker vulnerable to the MCAs. Hence, the Senate should be permitted to provide9s an ultimatum to the fate on the speaker in a bid to award them a fair hearing.
“We need to have the speaker’s impeachment being a matter that is two-tier in nature, let the MCAs not have the final say whether they are impeaching the speaker or the governor,” Osoi stated while speaking during an interview with JKLive Show on Wednesday night.
“Let the Senate listen to and give an opportunity to the speaker to defend himself.” He added.
Furthermore, his counterpart from Nyandarua County Ndegwa Wahome also said the Senate should act as a vetting body. He said that since the lawmakers are mandated an oversight role to devolution, they would ensure issues in the counties are streamlined.
“To give the minister for local governments powers over the county, will be very dangerous. the senate should be able to process all the issues concerning the speakers and everybody within devolution,” Wahome said.
Nevertheless, ex-Kiambu County Speaker Stephen Ndichu urged the incoming Speakers to be watchful of their clerks and other top employees who may plot their downfalls.
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According to Ndichu the clerks are mostly behind the attempts to oust a speaker as long as they have substantial evidence.
“The best thing I would want to advise the new speakers, you must be very should be very careful with clerks,” he noted.
“Be very careful with those characters called clerks, unless you play their game, you are there on hellfire and for the five years you are gonna be there, it is going to be hell unless you are going to toughen yourself.” Ndichu added.
