Jubilee welcomes suspension of Waiguru impeachment process

Jubilee party has welcomed a court order that suspended the impeachment of Kirinyaga County Governor Ann Mumbi Waiguru over the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Kirinyaga County Jubilee Chair Muriithi Kangara says the move to impeach the governor at a time the country is struggling to combat coronavirus was ill-advised.

Kangara while welcoming a High Court decision that temporarily stopped the impeachment of Governor Waiguru, said the move by Kirinyaga Members of County Assembly was not timely.

Waiguru’s case was halted after Judge Weldon Korir ruled on Tuesday that the Kirinyaga assembly should wait for the COVID-19 disease to be contained.

Justice Korir in his ruling explained that holding the impeachment proceedings at this time will automatically prejudice Governor Waiguru’s political rights as well as that of fair administration and hearing.

“In my view, the unique circumstances posed by the COVID-19 pandemic impose a duty to the court to interfere with the county assembly’s mandate in so far as the impeachment proceeding is concerned,” he said.

“The governor’s rights are threatened and the doctrine of public participation will be violated.”

However, the Judge was quick to note that were it not for the pandemic, he would not have heeded to Ms Waiguru’s request to halt the impeachment process.

Meanwhile, the union of Kenya Civil Servants is appealing to Governor Waiguru to recall 370 health workers sacked last year for participating in a strike.

Through County Executive Secretary Paul Ndung’u, the union supported MCAs call for recalling of sacked health workers as the country fight the Coronavirus pandemic.

The union also wants Kirinyaga County Government to provide health workers with protective gear.