- Arati will have 14 days from the day of gazettement to forward a name to the County Assembly of Kisii.
- The Assembly will then have up to 60 days, to approve the nominee for deputy governor through a vote
Image: FILE
The vacancy for the position of deputy governor in the County Government of Kisii is now open following the impeachment of Robert Monda, who is the immediate former office holder.
Monda was impeached by Members of the County Assembly who overwhelmingly voted for his removal from office.
The removal was on Thursday upheld by the Senate after it found him guilty of the four charges he had been accused of. They include; gross violation of the Constitution and law, abuse of office, gross misconduct, and crimes under national law.
Once the impeachment is gazette, Monda will cease to hold office and all focus will now shift to Governor Simba Arati to nominate someone to become deputy governor.
Arati will have 14 days from the day of gazettement to forward a name to the County Assembly of Kisii.
The Assembly will then have up to 60 days, to approve the nominee for deputy governor through a vote.
This followed the National Assembly’s approval of the mediated amendments to the County Governments Act, 2017, in 2020.
The law drawn by the Senate was projected to end governors’ debacle in defining timelines for appointing their deputies.
“The county assembly shall consider a motion for approval for the appointment of the deputy governor, within 14 days, and resolve whether to approve the motion,” the law reads.
The county assembly will, however, be deemed to have approved the motion for the appointment of the deputy governor if they fail to make a resolution in 14 days.
On the first and second counts, 39 senators voted in favour of his removal from office, three voted against and one abstained.
On the third count, 35 senators voted in favour of Monda's removal, seven voted against while one abstained.
On the last count, 32 senators voted for his removal, 10 against and one abstained.
"Pursuant to article 181 of the Constitution, section 33 (7) of the County Government's Act and standing order 86 of the Senate standing orders, the senate has resolved to remove from office by impeachment Dr Robert Monda, the Deputy Governor of Kisii County and the deputy governor therefore ceases to hold office," Senate Speaker Amason Kingi said.