- The DG was impeached by Members of the Kisii County Assembly Thursday evening.
- He has been kicked out of office on grounds of abuse of office with claims of bribery attached to the impeachment motion facing him.
Image: HANDOUT
Kisii Deputy Governor Robert Monda has been impeached.
The DG was impeached by Members of the Kisii County Assembly Thursday evening after 53 members voted in favour of the ouster motion.
He has been kicked out of office on grounds of abuse of office with claims of bribery attached to the impeachment motion facing him.
A paltry 15, however, opposed the impeachment motion.
The Deputy Governor did not address journalists but those early opposed to the motion said the impeachment signaled death to democracy.
"It is a sad day for the people of Kisii County especially the right thinking and who believe in democracy. What we have witnessed today is political conmanship, deceit and an exhibition of the character of Governor Simba Arati," stated Bouse Mairura (Masimba, UDA).
Ichuni MCA Wycliffe Siocha said him filing an impeachment motion against Monda constitutes the oversight which he took an oath to protect.
"Yes Monda was my friend but I had to balance between the interest of our people in doing this," he said.
Amos Onderi (Bikimonge MCA) told journalists outside the Kisii County Assembly:
" The motion was already predetermined. Only today was the deputy governor given the contents of the motion. It signals the worrying trend that we can assassinate democracy at will."
The fact that Monda's defence was not taken into consideration, Onderi added, mirrors the desperation of those who wanted him impeached.
"However, I ask the Senate to do justice for the people of Kenya when this motion is tabled there. We have hope that it will make more sober judgment than what we have witnessed today," stated Onderi.
He, however, called for sobriety adding that Governor Simba Arati holds the key to uniting the county.
" The clergy have already told him so and we can only echo the same that this is not time for the kind of politics we are seeing today," he said.
Lilian Gor, a nominee, said the vote to impeach Monda put democracy at stake.
" This is a celebration of the death of democracy, not a win. There was glaring evidence of manipulation and distortion of facts, " she said.
The vote, she stated, drew inspiration from the undue influence of those who voted to impeach him.
Lead counsel for Monda, Katwa Kigeni, said the basis upon which the motion is built on quicksand
" It could have been better if they waited the outcome of EACC investigations," he said.
Monda denied claims of graft when he appeared before the assembly Thursday morning.
He vigorously rebuffed the claim he had extorted a bribe to influence the employment of one Denis Misati, the youth in the Centre of the ouster motion filed against him by Ichuni ward MCA Wycliffe Siocha.
While there are registered monetary correspondences between his Mpesa and some bank accounts of the aggrieved, the payment was in relation to a debt that was being repaid to him by the young Misati's father.
About Sh 500,000 was forwarded to his contact in two instalments as a refund for money he had early extended to Misati's father, a family friend of many years, he said.
It is however through the cordial relationship with Misati's that had made them free to reach out to each other for help.
"They (the Misatis) had visited me in my house and later, I and the father withdrew to talk issues as friends when I asked if he could refund the money I had extended to him to enable me to travel out of which he obliged and instructed some, including his son and wife to facilitate the refund to me and which they did from the cop bank to my account," Monda told the assembly in defence.
He however denied using the same money to influence a failed employment opportunity of Misati's at Gusii Water and Sanitation Company.
This arose after the portion of the same money was forwarded to Ms Lucy Muthoni, the managing director of the Gwasco.
What is regarded as bribery was in fact 'money that strayed into a wrong contact', Monda said adding that he discovered the anomaly the following morning.
"I did make the effort to have the money transferred to me so that I could direct it to one Gladys Aminga who I had contracted to do transportation work for me," stated Monda.
And regarding the family relationship with brother Reuben Monda resulting in his arrest after an altercation, the Deputy Governor said he had reported the matter to the police who were better placed to handle it than fighting with machetes as brothers.
"The matter is still active with the police. For those questioning me, I may ask what is better. Reporting the matter to the police or fighting with pangas as others do?" he posed in defence.
Monda had sought Katwa Kigeni and Ochoki Wilkins as his defence.
Wycliff Siocha (ODM) is seeking Monda's ouster on account of abuse of office.
The three counts of charges are linked to bribery and the arrest of his brother Reuben Monda over a domestic squabble.