By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
3 December 2025 - Senators have retreated into a closed-door meeting this morning as they prepare to open the impeachment trial of Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, marking the next stage in a political dispute that has stirred weeks of tension in the county.
The session began shortly after 10am, following Speaker Amason Kingi’s directive for lawmakers to first agree on how the hearings will be conducted. Such private meetings traditionally take place before impeachment proceedings, allowing senators to set ground rules on issues such as time limits, the order of submissions, and how witnesses will be examined.
“In line with the schedule of activities for an impeachment hearing, the Senate will hold a preparatory session to discuss the management of the investigation,” Speaker Kingi said. Governor Nyaribo will only be removed from office if at least 24 senators vote to uphold the charges against him.
The trial follows his impeachment by the Nyamira County Assembly on 25 November, where 23 out of 31 MCAs were recorded as supporting the motion. That vote has since come under scrutiny after three MCAs — Priscilla Nyatichi, Julius Nyangana and Elijah Abere — filed a forgery complaint, insisting they were not present during the vote and did not consent to having their signatures used.
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The motion, brought by Bonyamatuta Ward MCA Julius Matwere, accuses Nyaribo of abuse of office, financial irregularities, and violating legal procedures. Central to the allegations is his alleged support for Bunge Mashinani, a breakaway assembly faction led by former Speaker Enock Okero, which conducted unauthorised meetings outside the official chambers. MCAs claimed these sittings were used to push through appointments and decisions that had no legal backing.
Among the accusations is the irregular allocation of county funds during the appointment of Peris Nyaboke-Oroko as County Agriculture Minister at a time when the assembly’s leadership was contested. The impeachment motion also cites unlawful appointments to a Public Service Board selection panel and disputed committee postings in Keroka town.
Nyaribo, who previously survived two impeachment attempts, maintains that the charges are politically driven. The Senate hearings will determine whether he remains in office or becomes the third county governor in Kenya to be removed through impeachment.
