Investigations into Samboja’s impeachment commences despite court order

The Senate’s Special Ad Hoc Committee investigating the impeachment of embattled Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja began its public hearings on Tuesday despite a court order barring the action.

Samboja who snubbed the hearing was impeached by Members of the Taita Taveta County Assembly on grounds of gross misconduct and misuse of public funds.

Samboja who did not turn up for the hearing argued through his lawyer that MCAs had disobeyed court orders stopping his impeachment process.

The Ward Representatives accuse the Governor of misappropriating funds contrary to section 196 of the Public Finance Management Act, failure to submit to the county assembly an annual report on the implementation status of the county policies and plans as required by section 30 (2)(j) of the County Governments Act, 2012.

The MCAs also accuse Samboja of failing to remit statutory deductions to the relevant institutions including the Kenya Revenue Authority, the National Hospital Insurance Fund and the National Social Security Fund contrary to the Income Tax Act, CAP 470, the National Hospital Insurance Fund Act, CAP 255 and the National Social Security Fund Act, CAP 258 Laws of Kenya.

In their submissions to the senate, the MCAs further said Samboja had refused to cooperate with the Assembly to resolve outstanding issues straining relations between the two arms of government in the county.

Relations between Samboja and the MCAs have been frosty especially after he sought dissolution of the county, accusing MCAs of stonewalling the administration of Taita Taveta County.