Members of the Kisumu County Assembly on Tuesday evening impeached Speaker Ann Adul over claims of gross misconduct.
In the vote, 39 members of the assembly voted in favour of an impeachment motion, three voted against, while six members abstained.
Consequently, acting Speaker Samuel Ombogo declared the seat vacant and directed the clerk of the House to gazette the position vacant.
“I now declare that Speaker Ann Adul impeached today October 21 at 6pm. I further direct the office of the clerk to gazette the seat as vacant,” said Mr Ombogo.
The Speaker was impeached after she failed to appear before the assembly’s Special Committee to answer to allegations of misuse of office.
According to Mr Ombogo, the Speaker had failed to honour summons to appear before the assembly on Tuesday 4 pm to answer questions of misuse of funds, as well as hiding the mace in a police station.
The impeachment motion was tabled by West Nyakack ward representative James Omollo who accused Ms Adul of violating House Standing Orders by “angrily” abandoning the Assembly while in session.
REMOVE MACE
“She failed to call for a formal adjournment in the afternoon of October 14 and later purporting to adjourn the Assembly from outside, under Standing Orders number 109,” he said.
Mr Omollo also accused the Speaker of “illegally” removing the mace from the assembly premises on the night of October 14 contrary to proceedings.
“By doing this, she brought into dispute the name of the County Assembly and its members by making derogatory public pronouncements ridiculing and belittling members of the Assembly,” he said.
Majority Whip Isaiah Onyango said that by taking the mace to the police station, the Speaker had impeached herself.
He accused Ms Adul of intimidating members by blocking motions raised to question her conduct in the House.
“We had a members’ insurance scheme that collapsed on September 9 after the County Assembly Service Board she chairs misappropriated funds,” said Mr Onyango.
However Seme ward representative John Kadede accused members of witch-hunt, saying the Speaker deserved a right to serve the House.
“There is no need of singling out one person over claims of misuse of funds yet the county Assembly Service Board that she chairs has the Leader of Majority and Monitory as members,” said Mr Kadede.
-nation.co.ke
