Moses Kuria’s list is fake, we have not received communication- Senate Speaker Lusaka claries

Speaker of the Senate H E Ken Lusaka on Monday afternoon slammed Gatundu South MP Hon Moses Kuria over speculation regarding the impeachment of Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru. Speaker Lusaka clarified that the list Kuria had shared was pure speculation and that the Senate was yet to receive official communication from Kirinyaga county assembly regarding yesterday’s impeachment motion.

Hon Kuria has posted on his social media handles a list of Waiguru friendly senators who he said will be appointed to look into the allegations raised by the Kirinyaga County Assembly.

Kuria had predicted that the committee would be dominated by Senators allied to ODM Leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta with Baringo Senator Gideon Moi chairing the committee.

Here is the post by Hon Kuria

Speaker Ken Lusaka appoints 9 person committee to consider impeachment motion against Governor Anne Waiguru

1. Sen Gideon Moi (Chairperson)

2. Sen James Orengo (Vice-Chairperson)

3. Sen Fatuma Dulo

4. Sen Irungu Kangata Kangata

5. Sen Johnson Sakaja

6. Sen Ephraim Maina

7. Sen Mutula Kilonzo Jr

8. Sen Cleophas Malala

9. Sen Ledama Ole Kina. Hon Kuria posted.

Hon Lusaka said he expected to receive the communication on Wednesday June 10th after which the Senate would decide whether the charges would be heard by the whole house or by a committee.

“I have not yet received any notification from the Kirinyaga County Assembly Speaker regarding the impeachment of Governor Anne Waiguru. My office will act accordingly once we receive the communication and documents in evidence of the Assembly proceedings today (June 9, 2020),” Lusaka explained.

Majority of impeachment motions are handled by a select committee although there have been exemptions where the whole house was involved in hearing the impeachment charges like the case of Governors Nderitu Gachagua and Ferdinand Waititu.

In Waititu’s case, the Senate decided to listen to the matter in the plenary after then Senate Majority Leader Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen selected Senators who were allied to the Tanga Tanga camp which Waititu associated with.

The majority side has five slots while the minority side gets four slots. If the committee quashes the impeachment of a Governor, the matter ends at the Committee stage and the Senate (whole house) cannot overturn that decision.