Kericho Governor Erick Mutai has dismissed Friday’s County Assembly impeachment vote against him, describing the process as irregular, predetermined, and lacking transparency.
Out of the 47 Members of County Assembly (MCAs), 33 supported the motion to remove Mutai from office, surpassing the required threshold. However, the governor has strongly rejected the outcome, insisting that what transpired was not a legitimate impeachment.
“There was no impeachment in Kericho. We raised our issues on the floor of the House in person. We already knew that nine staff of the County Assembly had been given the link to pre-vote,” Mutai told the press in Kericho on Saturday.
He alleged that the electronic voting process was manipulated, pointing to sudden and suspicious jumps in vote tallies. “At the beginning of the voting, it began with six votes, then it went to around 20-something, and in a short time, it jumped to 32, then 33. It confirms what these MCAs have been saying: the results were already decided before the process began,” he said.
The governor further faulted the use of an SMS-based system, arguing that a physical vote count of the 47 MCAs would have provided more credibility and fairness. “A physical vote is open and transparent. What happened yesterday cannot be considered democratic,” he added.
Mutai’s remarks signal a looming political showdown in Kericho, as the impeachment process now awaits further consideration by the Senate. If upheld, he could be removed from office. However, the governor’s rejection of the assembly’s vote sets the stage for legal and political battles ahead, with his supporters already rallying behind him.
The controversy underscores the growing debate over the integrity of digital voting systems in county assemblies and the transparency of impeachment proceedings.
