Nyeri MCAs Reject Impeachment Calls Against Governor Kahiga

Members of the Nyeri County Assembly have dismissed calls to impeach Governor Mutahi Kahiga, affirming that no motion to remove him from office is under consideration.

Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, the ward representatives expressed their support for the county’s executive leadership and described the impeachment demands as politically driven. They warned that such efforts could create unnecessary division within the Mt Kenya region.

The dispute follows remarks made by Governor Kahiga on 22 October regarding the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. In comments delivered in Kikuyu, the governor appeared to suggest that Odinga’s death would benefit the Central Kenya region by redirecting national resources from Nyanza to Mt Kenya. The statement was widely criticised for being insensitive and regionally divisive.

Although Governor Kahiga has since apologised, the controversy has continued. On Wednesday, a petition was filed at the High Court in Nairobi seeking to have him declared unfit for office. The petitioners claim his remarks were inflammatory and harmful to national unity, and they have requested that he be suspended while the court considers the case.

Despite the legal challenge, Nyeri MCAs have closed ranks in defence of the governor. Chinga MCA Kiruga Thuku, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, said there were no discussions about initiating impeachment proceedings. 

“I have not heard of any plans to bring such a motion because it will be a waste of time and resources unless it is a constitutional issue such as misappropriation of funds,” he said. 

Thuku added that impeachment often deepens political divisions, arguing that the governor’s mistake was limited to his choice of words, for which he had already apologised. Under the Constitution, a county governor may be removed for reasons such as gross misconduct or abuse of office, but the process requires a high threshold of proof. 

The matter now shifts to the judiciary, which will determine whether Governor Kahiga’s comments meet the legal standard for suspension or removal.