Kericho Governor Dr. Erick Mutai has denied all allegations made against him by the County Assembly of Kericho as his impeachment trial began before the Senate on Wednesday.
Appearing before the Senate plenary, the governor dismissed the charges that were read to him by Clerk of the Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye. The County Assembly accuses him of gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office and gross misconduct.
On the first charge, the Assembly claims the governor misused county funds by approving fictitious payments amounting to Sh85.7 million between January and July 2025 for projects and supplies that were never delivered. He is also accused of flouting procurement laws, including failing to form tender committees and ignoring required professional opinions.
The Assembly further alleges that over Sh351 million was mismanaged under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), with poor-quality furniture and equipment supplied at inflated costs.
“There is evidence that the Governor has been authorising withdrawals from the Fund for reasons other than those for which it was created by the donor,” the charge sheet reads.
The second charge relates to abuse of office. The Assembly alleges that Governor Mutai illegally fired at least ten County Executive Committee Members, six chief officers, two chiefs of staff and other senior officials without lawful justification. They argue this has exposed the county to costly lawsuits. He is also accused of interfering with the Assembly’s oversight role, including writing to the Speaker in 2024 to dictate when summoned officials should appear before the House.
The final charge accuses him of gross misconduct, including intimidation of staff and residents. The Assembly cited an incident in which the governor allegedly led a group to invade private land in Kericho town just days after assuming office, where the land was converted into a county dumpsite despite a court order against it.
The hearing began with legal teams from both sides clashing over preliminary issues. Lawyer Elisha Ongoya, representing the County Assembly, requested that additional documents be admitted into evidence, a move strongly opposed by the governor’s lawyer, Senior Counsel Katwa Kigen. After deliberation, Speaker Amason Kingi allowed the documents.
Earlier, Mr. Kigen had asked the Senate to stop the hearing, arguing that the impeachment process at the County Assembly was flawed and that the two-thirds majority required by law had not been achieved. He described the voting system as lacking credibility. However, Ongoya insisted that due process was followed and urged the Senate to proceed with the hearing so that the facts could be tested.
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