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Vihiga MCAs now seek to impeach Deputy Speaker

Vihiga Deputy Speaker Nixon Butiya speaking at a past event. MCAs have tabled a motion seeking to impeach him on allegations of abuse of office. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  DERICK LUVEGA

What you need to know:

  • Mr Butiya had earlier pleaded with Governor Ottichilo to save him from the planned ouster.
  • He was among the 23 MCAs who supported Dr Ottichilo’s ouster plan.
  • Mr Mboku is angered by the move to de-whip him and five others and now wants Mr Butiya to pay the price.

Vihiga MCAs have tabled a motion seeking to remove Deputy Speaker Nixon Butiya from his position.

The motion was tabled on Tuesday evening, hours after Governor Wilber Ottichilo held a kamukunji (informal meeting) to seek a truce with MCAs after they ditched a plan to impeach him.

During the meeting, Mr Butiya, who is also the Shiri Ward MCA, pleaded with the governor to save him from the planned ouster in line with the newfound good working relations between the assembly and the executive.

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ACCUSATIONS

In the impeachment motion, Tambua Ward MCA Manoah Mboku (ODM) is seeking to have Mr Butiya removed as Deputy Speaker on claims of abuse of office.

He also accuses Mr Butiya of lack of impartiality, incompetence and usurping the powers of the chairman of the committee on selection.

Mr Mboku is one of the five MCAs who were de-whipped from the leadership of assembly committees for opposing impeachment of Governor Ottichilo.

On the other hand, Mr Butiya was among the 23 MCAs who supported Dr Ottichilo’s ouster plan, which has since been withdrawn.

"He has failed to provide leadership and uphold basic principles of integrity," Mr Mboku says in the motion seen by the Nation.

He adds: "He (Butiya), as the Deputy Speaker, chairs the Liaison Committee but failed to guide the chair of the Selection Committee on the population of members in different committees."

DEWHIPPED

Mr Mboku is angered by the move to de-whip him and five others and now wants Mr Butiya to pay the price.

Majority Whip Victor Ijaika, who is on Mr Butiya's side, said the move by Mr Mboku is aimed at making the ODM party take over the leadership and control of the assembly that boasts many MCAs from the ANC party.

Mr Ijaika read Governor Ottichilo's hand in the troubles facing the Deputy Speaker.

ODM

"ODM is struggling to take over the assembly for easier control by the governor. Next in line is me and the Majority Leader (Moses Opole). It was in their plans," he said.

Dr Ottichilo had, however, used the kamukunji with MCAs to ask the proponents of the motion to drop it in the interest of the truce that had been brokered.

The Nation has established that 30 out of the 38 MCAs are in support of the motion to remove the Deputy Speaker.

Of the 30, three are from Ford Kenya, nine from Progressive Party of Kenya and five from ODM.

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