Ten Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) in Nyamira County are on the verge of suspension and possibly losing their positions after a hard-hitting report by the Powers and Privileges Committee. The report accuses the MCAs of missing eight consecutive sittings without valid reasons and alleges a pattern of misconduct and indiscipline.
County Assembly Speaker Thadaus Nyabaro presented the report, highlighting that the affected members had violated the assembly’s Standing Orders. He pointed out that such long periods of absenteeism seriously weaken the legislative process and fail the citizens the MCAs were elected or nominated to serve.
“The Commission on Powers and Privileges recommends, under Article 194 (1b) of the Constitution of Kenya, that the County Assembly of Nyamira should resolve to have the Speaker declare the seats of the following members vacant,” the report stated.
This recommendation was made after a detailed review, public debate, and a report tabled by the committee chaired by Bonyamatuta Ward MCA Julius Matwere. The county assembly is now set to deliberate and possibly vote on the report’s adoption.
The seconder of the motion added that the named members had clearly breached multiple sections of the law. “It’s important to remember that MCAs have a duty to represent the people who put them in office. Failing to attend official sittings is a betrayal of that duty,” he said.
Among those named in the report are two elected MCAs:
- Nyambega Gisesa (Rigoma Ward)
- Joel Ombongi (Bokeira Ward)
Both were elected on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) party ticket, whose party leader is Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo.
The other eight MCAs are nominated members drawn from various political parties:
- Martha Marua – A nominated MCA from the ANC party
- Janerose Nafula Nyakundi – Representing the ODM party
- Jeriah Nyakangi – Nominated under UPA
- Zipporah Matundura – Nominated on a Wiper party ticket
- Elijah Abere – UPA party nominee
- Edina Obara – UPA party nominee
- Beatrice Onyancha – UPA party nominee
- Lydiah Bosire – Political affiliation not specified in the report
In addition to these ten, the Assembly also suspended Abel Mokaya and Lameck Sikweya Enana for two months. The two have been barred from attending eight consecutive sessions as a form of disciplinary action for breaching assembly rules.
Why the MCAs Are in Trouble
The committee’s findings accuse the ten MCAs of skipping official assembly sittings for eight straight months. Instead of attending the formal sessions, they are reported to have been conducting unauthorized parallel meetings under a banner known as “Bunge Mashinani.”
This informal gathering has now been declared illegal by a recent High Court ruling from Bomet, which stated that only the main assembly sittings chaired by Speaker Nyabaro are lawful and recognized.
This ongoing situation is part of a larger leadership crisis that has gripped the Nyamira County Assembly in recent months. The assembly has been deeply divided, with rival camps forming around former Speaker Enock Okero and the current Speaker Thadaus Nyabaro. Each camp has been conducting its own sittings, complete with separate clerks and speakers, leading to confusion and power struggles.
Next Steps: Vote and Possible By-Elections
The full county assembly is expected to vote on whether to adopt the report. If the report is adopted, the Speaker will formally declare the ten seats vacant. This will trigger by-elections for the two elected MCAs and initiate the process for political parties to nominate replacements for the affected nominated MCAs.
However, before the final decision is made, the accused MCAs have been given an opportunity to explain their prolonged absence and provide valid reasons for missing the sessions. If they fail to give convincing explanations, their removal will proceed.
This move by the Powers and Privileges Committee sends a strong message about accountability and discipline within county leadership. It also marks a critical moment in Nyamira County’s political scene, which continues to be marred by division, factionalism, and legal battles over legitimacy and leadership.
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