Kericho Governor Erick Mutai was Friday impeached for the second time.
The embattled Governor was ousted after putting up a spirited defense throughout the day before the County Assembly.
All 33 Members of County Assembly (MCAs) voted to send him home for the second time, after the impeachment motion was moved by Sigowet Ward MCA Kiprotich Rogony.
The Governor was accused of, amongst other things, misappropriation of public and donor funds and abuse of office.
He had obtained a court order to stop the process.
Rogony, with the backing of a majority of his counterparts, accused the Governor of allowing the payment of Sh85 million to contractors for works not done, allegations Mutai vehemently denied.
The Governor, facing impeachment for the second time in as many years, has also been accused of misappropriating funds collected for the Londiani accident victims, as well as improper hiring of county staff – charges he denied.
The impeachment hearing had been temporarily halted by the High Court in Kericho after two petitioners had challenged it on grounds that it was unlawful.
The impeachment hearings ended as they had begun in chaotic scenes; inside the assembly, a scuffle among the MCAs erupted once the vote was concluded, leaving one MCA injured.
In the morning, youth had engaged police in running battles as they attempted to interfere with the proceedings.
A scuffle between the County Assembly security officers and the crowds resulted in damages to a county vehicle within the House premises.
Police said there were attempts to torch the assembly. A petrol bomb was found in the compound together with a burning tyre which hanged on a fence.
This saved the assembly from burning which could have affected the impeachment process. In the first impeachment bid, he faced charges of gross violation of the 2010 Constitution, and other laws, abuse of office, flouting the Leadership and Integrity Act, violation of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, misappropriation of public funds, illegal drawing of county revenue, and engaging in indecent sexual acts.
He was later saved in the Senate after 34 senators voted against his ouster while 10 voted to uphold his removal from office. This is after the Senate found that the minimum threshold of 32 MCAs was not met at the County Assembly when they voted to impeach.
Dr Mutai is serving his first term under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) political party ticket.
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