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Kisumu MCAs impeach Finance minister Nerry Achar, request probe

Kisumu Finance CEC Nerry Achar
By RUSHDIE OUDIA
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JOSEPH OPENDABy JOSEPH OPENDA
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The Kisumu County assembly has adopted a committee report recommending the sacking of Finance executive Nerry Achar.

Through Speaker Onyango Oloo, the assembly has officially written to Governor Anyang' Nyong'o asking him to effect the decision of the House - 37 MCAs voted against three for Mr Achar's impeachment.

Kolwa East Ward Representative Steve Owiti, who moved the motion, wanted the governor to dismiss Mr Achar for alleged incompetence, abuse of office, gross misconduct and gross violation of the Constitution.

Mr Owiti said, “The assembly as a wing of the county government ceases to recognise or transact any business with Mr Achar as the CEC. Any communication coming from him shall not be admitted or recognised by the assembly."

ACCUSATIONS

The executive is accused of violating the Constitution in terms of budgetary allocations and the delayed payment of contractors.


In a special sitting on Tuesday morning, MCAs found him unfit to hold any public office within the county government of Kisumu.

The lawmakers found Mr Achar culpable of allegations including flouting procurement procedures in the recent purchase of the governor's vehicle.

They also said he refused to implement Kisumu County Finance Act, 2018/19 by not collecting revenue as approved in the assembly.

The assembly also observed that most of the queries were captured in the Auditor-General’s report for financial year 2017/18, which included irregular payment of Sh137 million in legal fees to advocate Ken Pundo.

The adopted report also stated that the county executive committee member disregarded the committee by failing to show up when the assembly summoned him twice to defend himself.

They noted that he also failed to send a legal representative.

OFFICIAL PROBE

The committee also recommended that the Director of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission take up the matter as it borders on offences such as economic crimes.

Last week, defiant members of the assembly vowed to proceed with the impeachment despite a court order stopping them from continuing with the process.

On July 5, the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi issued a conservatory order temporarily stopping the impeachment proceedings against Mr Achar.

This following an application by the executive for the court to save his job.

In the matter certified as urgent before judge Maureen Onyango, Mr Achar had sought orders restraining the assembly and the Speaker from continuing with the impeachment process pending an inter-parties hearing.

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