A growing concern has emerged in how county assemblies are handling impeachment motions, leading to a fresh push by the Senate to fix recurring flaws.
Many motions targeting governors end up collapsing not because of lack of interest but due to errors in procedure, weak documentation and failure to meet legal standards.
What was intended to act as a measure of accountability has often turned into a tool for political battles tied to control of county budgets and local power struggles.
This trend has forced Senate Speaker Amason Kingi to call for a joint session with county assembly speakers and the County Assembly Forum.
The aim is to agree on a consistent process that will ensure that only properly prepared cases reach the Senate. He reminded assemblies that they have the right to begin impeachment, but their motions continue to fail because they ignore the steps required by law.
He noted that the Senate is often blamed unfairly when in reality it is bound by the law and cannot uphold a motion built on shaky ground.
The recent case of Kericho Governor Erick Mutai, who survived a second attempt to remove him, highlighted this problem clearly. His impeachment was dismissed because the assembly failed to meet a basic legal requirement. Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo also survived a similar process after it was found that the session used to pass the motion did not meet lawful standards.
These outcomes have left senators frustrated as they are forced to dismiss cases that could have been successful if proper procedure was followed.
Senators James Murango, Edwin Sifuna, Moses Kajwang and Boni Khalwale have spoken strongly on the matter. They said that removing a governor is a serious act that should not be approached carelessly.
According to them, the law demands both solid evidence and a clean process. They argued that many assemblies approach impeachment from a political angle first, hoping the Senate will clean up the mess, only to be disappointed when the motion is thrown out.
Records show that since 2022, only one out of five impeachment motions against governors has resulted in removal.
Even before that, since devolution began in 2013, at least 20 cases have reached the Senate, but only eight were confirmed.
Governors such as Martin Wambora, Nderitu Gachagua, Mwangi wa Iria, Paul Chepkwony and Granton Samboja all faced impeachment but managed to remain in office after procedural issues weakened the cases against them.
Many observers believe this pattern shows that impeachment has been misused rather than applied strictly as a tool of accountability. The planned meeting between the Senate and county assemblies is expected to mark a turning point, with Kingi expressing hope that setting clear rules will restore order and ensure that only legally sound cases proceed to a full hearing.
