Governor Mutai of Kericho County
NAIROBI, Kenya (IP) —
Governor Erick Mutai of Kericho County has survived an impeachment vote in the Senate for the second time with senators ruling that the charges leveled against him by the County Assembly failed to meet the constitutional threshold.
In a closely watched vote on friday evening, 26 senators voted against the impeachment, while 16 supported his removal from office. One senator abstained.
The Senate ruling dealt a blow to the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) of Kericho who had accused Mutai of abuse of office, gross misconduct and violation of the Constitution.
However, after reviewing the evidence and hearing from both parties, the Senate concluded that the MCAs failed to substantiate the allegations.
“The threshold for impeachment as provided in Article 181 of the Constitution and the County Governments Act was not met,” the Senate stated in its final report.
This marks the second time Mutai has faced and survived an impeachment process.
The governor has maintained that the charges were politically motivated and rooted in local power struggles.
“I thank the Senate for upholding the rule of law and protecting devolution from malicious attacks,” Mutai said in a brief statement after the verdict. “I am committed to serving the people of Kericho with transparency and accountability.”
Political analysts say the ruling reinforces the Senate’s role as a safeguard against potential abuse of the impeachment process at the county level even as tensions continue to simmer in Kericho’s local leadership.
Mutai, elected on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket has had a rocky relationship with some MCAs who accuse him of sidelining them in county development matters , a charge he denies.
With the Senate’s decision, Mutai resumes his duties as governor but political observers warn that reconciliation between the executive and the assembly will be crucial to restoring stability in the county.
