- They were immediately sacked after their impeachment by the assembly on Friday.
- The impeachment process started in May after four motions were tabled on the floor.
Image: MARTIN OMBIMA
Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo has fired four county executives impeached by MCAs last Friday.
They are Pamela Kimwele (public service and administration), Amos Kutwa (health), Kenneth Keseko (trade) and Paul Mbuni (lands and urban planning).
The MCAs initiated the impeachment process in May when four motions were tabled and ad hoc committees formed to investigate allegations against the four.
The departmental heads were accused of corruption and unprofessional conduct in the running of county affairs. The county lawmakers said they undermined the performance of the Ottichilo administration.
A special assembly sitting, led by speaker Hasna Mudeizi, was scheduled for last Friday, with 33 MCAs attending.
Keseko was the first to be removed after 32 MCAs showed no confidence in his leadership. The motion was tabled by Shiru MCA Nixon Butiya and only one MCA abstained from the vote.
Keseko was accused of abuse of office, incompetence and gross violation of the Constitution.
“Keseko had influenced road contracts in favour of his own companies and firms allied to his associates in this county,” Butiya said.
“This is a violation of Section 16 of the Leadership and Integrity Act that bars officers against showing personal interests that conflict with official duties assigned to them.”
Butiya also accused Keseko of failing to implement the Vihiga County Trade and Enterprise Fund and the Vihiga County Markets Management Acts.
In Kimwele's case, all the 33 MCAs supported the impeachment motion tabled by Collins Ayugu.
“The CEC is unable to bring to end issues of ghost workers,” Ayugu said.
He also cited poor coordination of county public service, a situation he blamed for conflict and disharmony in management.
Kimwele was also accused of overstepping his mandate by conducting staff audit, a preserve of the county public service board.
“After costing the county Sh46 million, the CECM has never given any report on the same,” Ayugu said.
He said despite having all those staff audits, the county wage bill is still ballooning and currently over 45 per cent, instead of 35 per cent as required by law.
Image: MARTIN OMBIMA
The impeachment motion against Kutwa was tabled by Ombajo Masini. Masini accused Kutwa of failing to curb the recurrent unrest of health workers in agitation for promotions and protests against delayed payments.
“Kutwa presided over the employment of extra 181 health workers, causing difficulties in payment of salaries,” he said.
“This led to salary delays among health workers without any reasonable cause from the health department.”
Thirty MCAs voting in favour of Mbuni's ouster. The motion was tabled by Evance Chunguli of Central Maragoli ward.
Mbuni previously served as the public service and administration boss. He was accused of irregular procurement, and conception and construction of the county data centre for Sh95 million.
He was also accused of being in charge of many irregular entries on the county payroll and influencing the employment of his own son by the county.
"Mbuni influenced the employment of his relatives to the department he headed, this is a violation of the Constitution and the PFM Act,” Chunguli said.
Reacting to his sacking, Kutwa said Governor Ottichilo has powers to make changes in his administration.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)