Kenya’s Machakos County Governor Dr Alfred Mutua has fired his deputy Bernard Kiala, who is also the County Executive for ICT and Labour days, hardly a week after he survived an impeachment attempt — where 17 out of 25 senators had voted against the motion with the 17 voting NO, 1 abstaining from the exercise and 5 voting YES.
The deputy governor’s motion for impeachment was brought to the house by Joseph Kalunde, Mutituni Ward representative. Four charges together with many allegations, which include gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office, gross misconduct and gross violation of various Acts of Parliament, had been made against the deputy governor two of which were confirmed by the Senate.
Kiala was charged with anatagonising county executives, county staff and Governor Mutua between March 5 2013 and July 7 2014, by undermining the spirit of collective responsibility and criticizing the county government.
Kiala appeared before the Mutahi Kagwe-led Senate committee having listed a long address of ‘substantive governance issues’ which he said were “at the very bottom of his problems with the County Government and County Assembly of Machakos. The first issue that he brought forward was the appointment of the county executive committee on April 11 2013, which was contrary to the County Government Act that demands the County Assembly approve them first.”
However, according to a report, the deputy governor and the governor’s rivalry began back when Mutua accused Kiala of working together with his rivals.