A Critique of the Constitutional and Legislative Framework in Kenya. For the Impeachment of County Governors

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2018 in the subject Law - Public Law / Constitutional Law / Basic Rights, grade: A, Moi University, course: LAWS, language: English, abstract: This legal research paper investigates the gubernatorial impeachment motions, proceedings and cases in the Kenyan devolved system since 2013 when the first governments took power under the new Constitution of Kenya, 2010. The constitutional, legal and institutional framework for the removal of county Governors from office through impeachment in the Kenyan devolved system is examined. The removal process of county Governors effectively for the realization of the objects of devolution in Kenya is accessed. Nigerian jurisprudence on gubernatorial impeachment is used because it provides instructive lessons on interpreting the Kenyan constitutional provisions on the removal of county Governors through impeachment. The result of this study is that the gubernatorial impeachment process in the Kenyan devolved system is a three-way process. The starting point is the County Assembly (CA) where the Member of County Assembly can table an impeachment motion against the county Governor. Secondly, should the impeachment motion succeed against the sitting county Governor, the Speaker of the CA forwards the resolution to the Senators who then investigate the impeachment claims made against the county Governor. Lastly, where the county Governor facing impeachment proceedings feels that their rights are being violated and or the CA and Senate are not following the stipulated procedure, they are allowed to access the courts to be granted appropriate reliefs. The jurisprudence emerging from the Kenyan courts has been useful in this research. Nigerian jurisprudence on gubernatorial impeachment has also been useful on providing instructive lessons on how the Kenyan constitutional provisions on the removal of county Governors from office can be interpreted. This legal research paper concludes that for the intended purpose of gubernatorial impeachment to be achieved, the people must not only be informed and involved in the removal process of their county Governors but the CAs and Senators must also demonstrate political goodwill while conducting this constitutional process. This is because one of the ways through which the objects of devolution can be achieved in the Kenyan devolved system is through accountable governance from the State Officer.