Kericho County Assembly MCAs voted on Tuesday to impeach Governor Eric Mutai, defying a court order that had temporarily halted the proceedings.

During the morning session, 31 out of 47 MCAs supported the motion sponsored by Sigowet Ward MCA Kiprotich Rogony.

This development came despite a court ruling by Justice J.K Sergon that issued interim conservatory orders suspending the impeachment process.

The notice of motion to remove the county boss had been formally tabled at the county assembly on September 12, and the assembly Speaker Patrick Mutai had set October 2 as the date to resolve the matter.

Governor Mutai, who was scheduled to defend himself during the session, sought legal intervention to stop the impeachment.

However, the assembly proceeded with the vote, citing various grounds for his removal, including gross violation of the constitution, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.

Rogony detailed accusations of misappropriation and misallocation of county funds, claiming the governor presided over a flawed public finance system.

He further accused the county boss of refusing to automate revenue collection, thus enabling financial mismanagement.

Additionally, Rogony charged the governor with making illegal appointments and usurping the functions of the public service board.

A contentious point was the governor’s initiation of the “Equaliser Kazi Mtaani Initiative,” allegedly launched without proper legislation or budgetary approval.

Furthermore, Rogony alleged that the governor coerced officials to allocate funds for personal use, leading to misuse of public resources.

The impeachment motion also referenced the Londiani junction road accident, alleging that over Sh9 million in public funds were lost. Additionally, the governor was accused of politically motivated hiring practices and unauthorized deployment of health staff, creating a crisis in the health sector.

These accusations painted a picture of a governor operating with impunity, leading the MCAs to conclude that his continued stay in office would undermine the effective delivery of services and the integrity of the county administration.