Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo has survived an impeachment attempt after the Senate upheld a preliminary objection citing procedural flaws in the motion passed by the Nyamira County Assembly.
Thirty-eight senators voted to support the objection, while only four opposed it, effectively ending the impeachment process on technical grounds.
The governor’s defence team successfully argued that the county assembly failed to attain the constitutionally required two-thirds majority needed to pass an impeachment motion.
While moving the motion on whether to sustain the objection, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot questioned whether the Senate had been properly engaged.
“We unfortunately must ask ourselves whether this matter is properly before us as a House,” he said. “Have we been properly invited, or has a governor come through the door, or has this matter been thrown through the window?”
Cheruiyot criticised Parliament for failing to enact a comprehensive impeachment procedure law, noting that many of the disputes surrounding impeachment processes—particularly those involving voting thresholds and procedural clarity—would not arise if such legislation existed.
“If we had set out an impeachment procedure bill, we would not be debating these issues today,” he said. “By now, we would be listening to the case by the county assembly and the governor’s response. But here we are, unfortunately.”
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei supported this view, stressing that impeachment is both a political and quasi-judicial process that must adhere to strict procedural standards.
