Senate team washes hands off Wambora

What you need to know:

  • Dr Khalwale said as far as the Senate was concerned, Mr Wambora “remains impeached and cannot purport to attend Senate meetings as the governor” because the Senate had not been served with court orders reversing its decision to send him packing.
  • He said even though the court barred Ms Nditi from being sworn in as governor, she was still the deputy and could constitutionally lead the delegation.
  • “The fact that Mr Wambora is in court contesting the Senate’s verdict is not our business. It will be our concern if the court returns him to office,” he said.

A Senate committee Thursday said it did not recognise Mr Martin Wambora as Embu governor.
The Public Accounts and Investment Committee chaired by Dr Boni Khalwale (Kakamega, UDF) sent away senior officials from the county because they were not accompanied by Deputy Governor Dorothy Nditi.

The committee was upset when a delegation led by acting Secretary Wilson Gitonga and County Executive of Finance John Njagi said they had been sent by Mr Wambora.

They told the committee, which looks into county audit queries, that Mr Wambora was the governor after the courts barred Ms Nditi from assuming office pending determination of the case.

“After the impeachment, the deputy governor was to be sworn in as governor but a court order stopped this. Due to that technicality, Mr Wambora is still the governor and could have asked his deputy to represent him, which he didn’t,” said Mr Njagi.

REMAINS IMPEACHED

Dr Khalwale said as far as the Senate was concerned, Mr Wambora “remains impeached and cannot purport to attend Senate meetings as the governor” because the Senate had not been served with court orders reversing its decision to send him packing.

“Any business transaction between this committee and the Embu governor will be led by the deputy governor. Unlike other sessions where we have declined to listen to deputy governors, in this case we accept because there is no governor,” said Dr Khalwale.

He said even though the court barred Ms Nditi from being sworn in as governor, she was still the deputy and could constitutionally lead the delegation.

“The fact that Mr Wambora is in court contesting the Senate’s verdict is not our business. It will be our concern if the court returns him to office,” he said.

The committee observed that Mr Wambora might have decided not to send Ms Nditi because he feared he could be confirming her as governor.

“That drama will continue being played out in Embu but we shall not allow it to be brought to the Senate,” said Dr Khalwale.

He ordered the officials to return on October 30 with the deputy governor and county clerk.