By KPC Reporter
The County Assembly of Nyamira has become the first in Kenya to enforce constitutional discipline by expelling ten members for absenteeism.
In a dramatic sitting, Speaker Thaddeus Nyabaro announced the expulsion of the MCAs who had missed eight consecutive plenary sessions.
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The act was deemed a gross violation of the Constitution and the Assembly’s Standing Orders.
The decision followed a report by the Assembly’s Powers and Privileges Committee, chaired by Bonyamatuta MCA Julius Matwere, which found the affected MCAs guilty of absenteeism and misconduct.
The ten are particularly in trouble due to their alleged continued participation in the controversial “Bunge Mashinani” sessions, which are parallel sittings held outside the official Assembly chambers.
These sessions, which were spearheaded by impeached former Speaker Enock Okero, had previously been declared illegal by both the High Court and the Senate.
Among those expelled were Rigoma Ward’s Nyambega Gisesa, a close ally of Governor Amos Nyaribo and chair of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), and Joel Ombongi of Bokeira Ward.
They were joined by eight nominated MCAs: Martha Marua (ANC), Janerose Nafula (ODM), Lydia Mosiere (Ford Kenya), and UPA’s Zipporah Matundura, Edna Obara, Jeriah Nyakangi, Beatrice Onyancha, and Elijah Abere.
Two other MCAs, Abel Mose of Magwagwa Ward and Lameck Sikweya of Itibo Ward, escaped expulsion but were suspended for seven and sixteen sittings respectively.
The expulsions mark the most decisive move yet by Speaker Nyabaro, who formally assumed office after the High Court upheld Okero’s impeachment.
Since taking over, Nyabaro has vowed to restore discipline and constitutional order in an Assembly that has been plagued by factionalism, walkouts, and legal battles for nearly a year.
His declaration during the special sitting was firm: “This Assembly must return to its constitutional mandate. We cannot allow rogue behavior to derail service delivery and the trust of the people of Nyamira.”
The political implications of the move are profound, with Governor Nyaribo, whose party lost all its nominated MCAs in the purge, emerging as the biggest political casualty.
The expelled members were not only his allies but also key players in the Assembly’s internal power struggles.
Their removal signals a shift in the county’s political landscape and raises questions about the governor’s influence going forward.
The Assembly’s leadership crisis took a ba turn when then-Speaker Okero was impeached following a failed attempt to oust Governor Nyaribo.
Okero, refusing to accept the Assembly’s decision, broke away with twelve MCAs and launched the Bunge Mashinani initiative with the support of a few Assembly staff.
Despite multiple court rulings against the legitimacy of these sessions, the group continued to operate in defiance of legal and institutional authority.
With the expulsions now formalized, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is expected to declare by-elections in the affected wards and initiate the process for political parties to fill the vacant nominated seats.
Meanwhile, sources indicate that the expelled MCAs are considering legal action to challenge the decision, a move that could prolong the political standoff and further complicate governance in the county.
