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Can Waititu save his political career?

By Amina Wako January 30th, 2020 2 min read

How Ferdinand Waititu will fight to save his political career is what remains to be seen after the Senate voted for the removal as Kiambu Governor on Wednesday evening.

The impeached governor was found guilty of three charges which were tabled by Kiambu County Assembly.

IMPEACHMENT

The three charges were gross violation of the Constitution and Public Finance Management Act, crimes under the National Law and gross misconduct/abuse of office.

There was a total of 38 senators in the House on Wednesday. Some 28 senators, most of them from opposition coalition Nasa, convicted Waititu on all three counts leveled against him by the county assembly and voted for his removal from office.

Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka has also confirmed having signed a Gazette notice communicating the decision to remove Waititu from office on Wednesday night.

The gazetting has paved way for the swearing-in of Waititu’s erstwhile deputy, Dr James Nyoro, which is expected to take place on Thursday.

This comes even as Waititu and allies vowed to challenge the impeachment in court.

POLITICAL BATTLES

Waititu has the opportunity to move to Supreme Court to challenge his impeachment even though he will have to disapprove the allegations leveled against him beyond doubt.

According to the constitution, if a vacancy occurs in the office of county governor, the deputy county governor shall assume office for the remainder of the term of the county governor.

The law further states that a person assuming the office deputy governor will be considered as having served a full term as governor provided at the date on which the person assumed office, more than two and a half years remained before the date of the next regularly scheduled election under Article 180 (1), or (b).

Such are the odds stacked up against Waititu, a man who in his long political career has fought many battles. He has won many and lost some along the way. But can he save his political career this time?