Thirty-one MCAs have been flown to Tanzania to scuttle impeachment of Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua.
But debate on the impeachment motion began yesterday, with only
28 MCAs present and no chance of impeachment. It continues today.
The trip to Tanzania is a tactic to deny the two-thirds majority vote need to pass an impeachment motion.
The assembly has 59 ward representatives and 39 would have to vote for impeachment. Afterward the case would go to the Senate for a hearing and ruling on removal.
Mutua says Wiper is paying MCAs to impeach him because he refuses to use county funds to finance their campaigns.
On Tuesday, deputy speaker Nathaniel Nganga said the 31 MCAs, who did not attend the debate, were flown out of the country by Mutua at the weekend. He said they were each given Sh500,000. He said Sh20 million was spent on the trip but its mission was unspecified..
But Mutua’s press secretary Mutinda Mwanzia dismissed the allegations, saying the trip to Tanzania is county assembly business and does not involve the executive.
Yesterday, despite the missing MCAs, speaker Bernard Mung’ata ruled the members proceed with debate, since they were more than 27 members required for debate..
Yesterday during the debate, Ndalani MCA Stephen Muthuka listed several grounds for removal.
They include fictitious payment of Sh89 million to desilt Maruba Dam and awarding contract for construction of access roads to a private firm.
Muthuka said no such works were carried out as the county was experiencing El Niño rains at the time the contract was awarded. He accused Mutua and his administration of paying for the contract even after knowing the work was not done. “The governor has been launching projects funded by county funds and branding them as Maendeleo Chap Chap activities or programmes. This is abuse of office and misuse of public funds,” Muthuka said.
The MCA also accused the governor of using county funds to advance political interests.
“The governor has set up and maintained an M-Pesa line and pay-bill number 656500 in which money continues to be paid. The money is not deposited into the county government accounts,” Mithuka said.
Other issues raised are mismanagement of county funds in the Transport department amounting to Sh600 million and irregular purchase of motor vehicles.
