Nyamira Governor Nyaribo Impeached

Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo was impeached after 23 out of 31 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) voted to remove him from office.

The motion, on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, sponsored by Bonyamatuta Ward MCA Julius Kimwomi Matwere, accused the governor of gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office and illegal handling of a payroll audit.

The vote marked the latest chapter in a long-running conflict between Nyaribo and the Assembly.

Since 2023, MCAs have attempted several times to remove him, with previous efforts in 2024 and early 2025 falling short by a single vote.

This time, the Assembly reached the required threshold with ease, sending the matter to the Senate for final determination.

Violations outlined

While moving the motion, MCA Matwere read a detailed statement accusing the governor of bypassing the law when commissioning a payroll audit. He argued that the governor violated the Public Audit Act and attempted to usurp the mandate of the Auditor-General.

“The Governor has not requested that the County of Nyamira sanction the Auditor General to undertake any audit. Section 23 of the Public Audit Act 2015 provides for the outsourcing of audit services, while Section 24 of the Public Audit Act 2015 provides for the engagement of services of technical experts or consultants and professionals in fulfilment of Article 229,” Matwere said.

“The purpose of the Constitution, which states the principal purpose of the audit, is to confirm whether all non-public money has been applied lawfully and in an effective way.”

“Audit is a process that follows cardinal guidelines, which the purported orders of the county executive payroll did not follow, before coming up with the purported payroll audit report. Section 31 of the Public Audit Act 2015 provides how the processes of audit shall be undertaken.”

“Mr Speaker, Section 36 of the Public Audit Act 2015 provides that the audit report is submitted to Parliament or the county assembly for tabling and debate. How the county payroll audit report, which was not done by or authorised by the auditor general, will be placed before Parliament or the county secretary for debate, and a consideration has not been explained.”

“Section 37 of the Public Audit Act 2015 provides for a forensic audit upon request by Parliament or County Assemblies to establish fraud, corruption or financial improprieties in state organs and public entities.”

“The audit report is then placed before Parliament, or the County Assembly, for debate, and a consideration where appropriate resolutions and actions will emanate. The Governor, therefore, insulted the constitutional mandate of the Auditor General, which he allocated to himself to initiate a payroll audit without authorisation.”

Amos Nyaribo during a past event.

He added that the County Public Service Board had already disowned the audit process. According to Matwere, the board confirmed that Nyaribo singularly commissioned the payroll audit, including the appointment of an audit committee that would digest the findings of the audit, without involving the board.

Matwere cited a communication from the board dated January 15, 2025, which reversed the governor’s decision, describing the move as unauthorised. He also noted that the County Executive Committee later attempted to appeal the board’s position, despite lacking legal grounds to do so.

Financial loss and betrayal of public trust

The MCA accused the governor of causing financial loss and undermining governance structures.

“His actions are marked by illegal diversion of public resources and a flattened disregard for courts and disassembly at the Senate,” he said.

“Including the brassing and usurpation of the Count’s Public Service Board authority, have resulted in undemonstrable financial loss to the Count’s Government of Nyamira, amounting to approximately Ksh54,567,000, with a further liability of Ksh325 million annually due to unsustainable illegal hiring.”

“I assert that… this is not a matter of minor administrative error, but I sustain the betrayal of the public trust that demands the ultimate penalty. His continued tenure is a catastrophic risk to the future of Nyamira County and an affront to the principles of revolution.”

Matwere urged the Assembly to act, saying the county had been in the national spotlight for negative reasons and needed to restore order.

Long-running feud

The impeachment followed years of tension. A fresh motion was tabled on November 17, 2025, continuing a pattern of political battles, parallel sittings, court cases and corruption investigations, including a recent EACC raid linked to a Ksh382 million tender.

With the Assembly now approving his removal by a wide margin, the governor’s fate rests with the Senate.