Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo will remain in office after the Senate on Wednesday, December 3, halted his impeachment process.
In a statement, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi said the decision followed a preliminary objection filed by Nyaribo, who argued that the impeachment was invalid because the Nyamura County Assembly did not meet the constitutional threshold required to approve his removal from office.
Announcing the outcome, Kingi said the House had upheld the governor’s objection, effectively ending the trial.
"Senators have tonight voted to uphold a preliminary objection raised by Amos Kimwomi Nyaribo, Governor of Nyamira County, opposing his impeachment trial before the Senate on grounds that the County Assembly of Nyamira did not meet the required threshold in a vote that approved his impeachment," he said.
With the objection sustained, the Senate terminated the matter and confirmed that Nyaribo will continue serving as the county’s chief executive.
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"Consequently, the impeachment proceedings stand terminated, and Hon Nyaribo remains in office as Governor," Kingi added.
Earlier Wednesday, Nyaribo rejected all allegations levelled against him as the Senate began hearings into his proposed impeachment.
The session opened with the Senate Deputy Clerk, Mohamed Ali, reading out the charges to the governor, who dismissed each accusation in its entirety.
The impeachment motion accused Nyaribo of violations ranging from illegal appointments to abuse of office, claims he insisted were unfounded.
The first set of accusations centred on allegations that the Governor had backed the unconstitutional Bunge Mashinani initiative, approved the Nyamira County Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2024 without legal basis, and unlawfully appointed Dr Peris Nyaboke Oroko, also known as Peris Mongare, to the County Executive Committee.
The Assembly also faulted him for allegedly making illegal appointments to the Nyamira and Keroka Municipal Boards, improperly constituting the County Public Service Board (CPSB) Selection Panel, and failing to appoint the leadership of the CPSB as required by law.
Additional allegations accused Nyaribo of neglecting constitutional obligations such as delivering the State of the County Address and submitting Annual Reports.
He was also said to have disobeyed court directives regarding the appointment of Clive Ogwora to the County Executive Committee.
On the charge of abuse of office, the County Assembly claimed Nyaribo oversaw recruitment processes without budgetary allocation, influenced irregular hiring of senior HR officers, and personally benefited from questionable salary arrears.
Members of the Assembly also cited the existence of a payroll fraud syndicate that allegedly led to the loss of public funds, accused him of facilitating dual appointments outside the legal structure, and claimed he encroached on the roles of the Auditor-General and CPSB.
The governor was further accused of unlawfully suspending the CPSB Secretary.
