Wednesday, 9 April, 2025
Senate Committee probes Nyamira County Assembly crisis๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐
The Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations held a session to address the deepening political and legal crisis engulfing the Nyamira County Assembly.
What began as a leadership dispute has escalated into a full blown institutional breakdown marked by conflicting Gazette notices, violent confrontations, disputed appointments, and contested budgets.
The Committee heard from two rival Speakers representing opposing factions of the Assembly Mr. Thaddeus Nyabaro and Mr. Enock Okero. Explosive allegations were laid bare, including claims of court order violations, illegal appointments and what some lawmakers termed a calculated effort by the County Executive to influence Assembly leadership for political gain.
Speaker Enock Okero, who was impeached in October 2024, is at the heart of the storm. Court orders subsequently reinstated him and suspended any attempts to remove him from office. However, the Assembly elected a new speaker, published the changes in the Kenya Gazette, and continued operating in defiance of judicial directives.
Members aligned with Okero decried these actions as unconstitutional and in contempt of court.
The standoff peaked on January 15, 2025, when Okero attempted to resume office under the protection of interim court orders. What followed was a chaotic confrontation, armed individuals stormed the chambers, MCAs were physically ejected and police officers allegedly used force against elected members.
Controller of Budget Dr. Margaret Nyakangโo testified that her office had received conflicting communication from both factions, which complicated budgetary approvals.
She noted that her officeโs most recent engagement, as of April 2, 2025, was with the County Treasury, which recognized Okero and Acting Clerk Silvanus Nyamora as the legitimate officeholders.
The Committee Chairperson, Senator Mohamed Abass (Wajir) assured that the Senate would scrutinize all relevant documents including court rulings, budget statements, Gazette notices and Assembly Hansards, before initiating consultative talks with the Governor of Nyamira County and both factions of the County Assembly.
Sen. Richard Onyonka, Sen. Margaret Kamar, Sen. Mogeni Okong'o, Sen. Hezena Lemaletian and Peris Tobiko expressed grave concern over the erosion of institutional integrity.
They warned that ongoing political interference, disregard for court orders, and manipulation of Assembly processes risk not only undermining legislative independence but also threatening the very foundation of devolution.