SENATE PROPOSES 11-MEMBER COMMITTEE TO PROBE MERU GOVERNOR MWANGAZA’S IMPEACHMENT
The Senate leadership has suggested an 11-member committee be tasked with establishing the grounds for the impeachment of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
This was confirmed by the House Business Committee which is supposed to plan business for the Senate.
He announced among the names proposed to the committee were Senator Hillary Sigei, Abdul Haji, Wahome Wamainga, David Wafula, Gloria Orwoba, Karen Nyamu, Issa Juma, Eddy Oketch, Shakila Abdalla, Beth Mwandeti and Beatrice Akinyi.
As he moved the motion for the establishment of the Select Committee, Khalwale implored fellow legislators to heed the motion: “I want to urge colleagues to reflect on this motion on whether we shall be doing the very best if we allow a Special Committee to inform us or whether we should go the plenary way.”
The warning by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi on Tuesday that should the motion for the establishment fail, Senate will be left with no other alternative but to investigate and debate the issue in plenary prepared ground for the seriousness accorded to the issue.
The senators were bitterly divided on the proposal for investigation into Mwangaza’s impeachment by a committee. Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dhullo rejected the motion, saying that arguing on the floor would guarantee transparency to the people of Meru.
“I oppose the motion and I have experienced both committee and plenary ways. By going the plenary way, Meru County will have an opportunity to see what is happening on the impeachment, but going the committee way, they might not be able to even watch the events,” she said.
“I have taken and I maintain the view that the committee way is a far more excellent method of interrogating these issues as opposed to the plenary manner,” Sifuna submitted. He accused the Senate of being on recess and to that effect, no senator should be dragged to the impeachment hearing. Sifuna further cited the likelihood of senators failing to attend if they were to be carried in plenary then added: “It’s also better when the impeachment goes the committee way; cross-examination becomes easier.”
On the other hand, Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina, opposing the motion, said the weight of the matter necessitated plenary debate. “If we reduce the matter to the committee, it might be concluded that it is a move made to either save or impeach the governor,” he noted.
