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ODM has listed several grounds to back its decision.
- Assembly Business Committee expected to meet and discuss motion today.
It is all systems go in ODM’s bid to impeach Migori Governor Okoth Obado, with the process expected to start this week.
ODM yesterday said the motion is ready and will formally be tabled this week, ending speculations about the party-driven censure motion.
Party national chairman John Mbadi (Suba South MP) confirmed that the motion is with the Majority leader who will table it either on Wednesday or Thursday.
The much-awaited motion is expected to be discussed by the assembly Business Committee today ahead of tabling.
“Yes, the motion is ready and it will be tabled maybe on Wednesday or Thursday,” Mbadi said on the phone.
Apart from corruption charges against Obado, the Star has established that the motion has also listed several grounds to back ODM's decision.
However, Mbadi declined to comment on the specifics, instead referring the Star to the county assembly Majority leader.
“As to the grounds, the MCAs know better. I know it will be there this week, either Wednesday or Thursday,” said Mbadi, who is also the National Assembly Minority leader.
“We just gave a directive that he (Obado) be impeached because someone who has been barred from office is not fit to hold office because he has been charged with a criminal act.
“How the lawyers have crafted it and the MCAs, they know better, but I know it is ready and should be in the assembly this week.”
Residents will have to wait and see if the matter will sail through. The embattled county chief is said to be holding sway in the assembly, whose decision is critical in deciding his future.
The Star has also learnt that assembly speaker Boaz Okoth has been admitted to a Kisumu hospital.
Okoth was last week summoned by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations over claims of corruption at the assembly. He was questioned and told to report back to the headquarters along Kiambu Road yesterday.
According to Article 181 of the Constitution, a governor can be removed because of gross violation of the Constitution or any other law, where there are serious reasons to believe that the governor has committed a crime under national or international law, abuse of office or gross misconduct and physical or mental incapacity to perform the functions of the office.
Section 33 of the County Government Act gives a procedure to impeach a governor to start from the assembly. It should receive the support of two-thirds of all members of the assembly to proceed to the next stage.
If it goes through, county speaker informs the Senate speaker within two days and the battle moves to the Senate.