Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi Survives Impeachment as Committee Deems Allegations Unsubstantiated
Kenya’s Political Arena Breathes a Sigh of Relief as Impeachment Motion Falls Short
In a dramatic turn of events, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has emerged unscathed from the storm of impeachment, with a special parliamentary committee ruling that the grounds for the motion lacked substantive evidence.
The verdict, delivered on Monday, saw the special committee dismissing allegations of gross constitutional violations, suspicions of criminal activity, and accusations of gross misconduct as outlined in the motion spearheaded by Bumula MP Jack Wamboka.
“The allegations under Ground 1 on gross violation of the constitution, Ground 2 on serious reason for believing that the cabinet secretary has committed a crime under national law and Ground 3 on gross misconduct, as outlined in the special motion, are unsubstantiated,” stated the committee in its report to the National Assembly.
The investigation, undertaken by an 11-member committee, delved into the accusations levied against the agriculture minister, particularly focusing on the procurement and distribution of government-subsidized fertilizer, which itself is under scrutiny amid concerns of its authenticity.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, the committee’s findings failed to garner sufficient support for the impeachment motion, with seven out of the 11 MPs voting in favor of retaining CS Linturi in his position.
MP Jack Wamboka, the driving force behind the motion, had cited three grounds for the impeachment: gross violation of constitutional and legal norms, suspicions of criminal conduct, and gross misconduct. However, the lack of concrete evidence to substantiate these claims ultimately led to the motion’s downfall.
As the dust settles on this tumultuous chapter in Kenya’s political landscape, CS Mithika Linturi’s survival signals a significant victory for the embattled minister, while also underscoring the resilience of the democratic process in upholding the principles of accountability and due process.
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