Nyamira MCAs Deny Voting in Nyaribo Impeachment, Claim Votes Were Forged
The impeachment of Nyamira County Governor Amos Nyaribo has hit a controversial turn, as three Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) have denied participating in the crucial vote that led to his removal.
MCAs Julius Nyangana, Elijah Abere, and Priscilla Nyatichi have filed a criminal complaint at Nyali Police Station in Mombasa under OB 46/25/11/25. They allege that their votes were allegedly forged during the impeachment exercise, raising serious questions about the integrity of the process.
The MCAs accuse those claiming to have acted on their behalf of forgery and said they intend to pursue legal action to defend their reputations. They also accused County Speaker Thaddeus Nyabaro of misleading the public by stating that the absent MCAs had delegated their voting rights.
“I did not send anyone to vote on my behalf during the governor’s impeachment. I was in Mombasa with my children at the time. I have reported this and instructed my advocate to take action,” said Ms. Nyatichi. She emphasized her intent to seek both defamation redress and the restoration of her dignity, adding that she plans to verify with Safaricom whether anyone contacted her regarding proxy voting.
Similarly, Mr. Abere denied authorizing anyone to cast a vote on his behalf, insisting he never delegated his voting rights during the impeachment process.
During the impeachment last week, Speaker Nyabaro stated that four MCAs who were absent had requested to be represented by proxies, while 19 MCAs were physically present in the legislative chamber. “A total of 23 MCAs voted to remove Governor Amos Nyaribo from office by way of impeachment. The two-thirds threshold has been met,” he said.
Governor Nyaribo faced removal over alleged gross constitutional violations and abuse of office. This marks the third attempt to impeach him, with the previous two failing to pass the county assembly floor.
Nyamira County has 35 assembly seats, with 20 elected ward representatives and the rest nominated members. At the time of the vote, three wards—Nyamaiya, Ekerenyo, and Nyansiongo—were vacant. Given that only 19 MCAs were physically present and four reportedly voted via proxies, questions have arisen regarding the legitimacy of the 23 votes that favored impeachment.
The controversy has left the Nyamira electorate awaiting clarification from the Senate, as legal and procedural challenges loom over the governor’s removal.
Governor Nyaribo’s tenure has been marked by persistent disputes with MCAs and other county leaders, including his deputy, Dr. James Gesami, and Senator Okong’o Omogeni. He took over from the late John Nyagarama and, even while serving as deputy, was declared persona non grata at the county offices, subjected to physical ejection, and had his vehicles tampered with despite being entitled to operate from the county premises.
The latest developments suggest that the political turbulence in Nyamira may continue as the legality of Nyaribo’s impeachment faces increasing scrutiny.
Nyamira MCAs Deny Voting in Nyaribo Impeachment, Claim Votes Were Forged