Police Take Over Streets as Kericho Tension Escalates During Governor Mutai’s Impeachment Hearing
Kericho County descended into chaos and unrest on Friday, August 15, when Governor Erick Mutai appeared for his second impeachment hearing since assuming office. He is accused of unlawfully spending public money, sparking severe reactions from both leaders and residents.
From the early morning hours, tension was in the air after unknown individuals tried to set the County Assembly on fire just hours before the impeachment session began. The attempted arson led to immediate panic, forcing authorities to tighten security across the county.
Speaking to members of the Kericho County Assembly, Speaker Patrick Mutai condemned the attack, calling it a shameful and dangerous act meant to intimidate the assembly.
He explained, “At around 4:00 a.m., unidentified individuals broke into the assembly attempting to torch it. Some small areas were already burned, but we are thankful that our security officers managed to control the fire before it spread further.”
According to the Speaker, the matter has been officially reported to the National Police Service and investigations are underway to find the perpetrators behind the incident.
Following the arson attempt, security officers flooded the streets and surrounded key points of the County Assembly. Dozens of heavily armed police officers were seen guarding the premises while patrol teams roamed the nearby streets to ensure no disruptions took place during the hearing.
At the same time, police were battling angry county residents who tried to force their way inside the assembly. Eyes filled with anger, some residents were determined to enter and witness the proceedings physically, but they were met with teargas and police batons.
Videos witnessed by Newshub.co.ke captured residents running for safety as police repeatedly fired teargas canisters to push them away from the assembly. The entire county headquarters area looked like a war zone as officers struggled to control large crowds.
The impeachment motion against Governor Mutai was presented by several MCAs who accuse him of serious misconduct, including misuse of office, irregular tenders, and mishandling public resources worth Ksh85 million. The MCAs claim that the governor has failed to follow proper financial procedures and should be removed from office.
However, Governor Mutai denied all allegations laid against him, describing the process as purely political and a witch-hunt by his political rivals. He insisted that he has always acted in the interest of Kericho residents and accused certain leaders of trying to tarnish his name for personal gain.
This is the second impeachment attempt against Governor Mutai. In 2024, he survived an earlier impeachment when 31 MCAs voted to remove him, but he was saved by the Senate, where 34 senators voted to stop the process while only 10 senators supported the motion.
If this current impeachment process is approved by both the County Assembly and the Senate, Mutai may join the growing list of Kenyan governors who have been impeached, such as Mike Mbuvi Sonko, Ferdinand Waititu, and Kawira Mwangaza.
The situation remains tense in Kericho as residents wait to see whether the governor will survive yet another political storm or face removal from his position.
Join WANTAM Official WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
