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Ondieki to know job fate in a week


Besieged Transport Executive Member Evans Ondieki will in a week know whether he will keep his job or face the sack.

This is after the County Assembly overwhelmingly passed a motion to censure him for allegedly being an under performer.

The impeachment vote against the transport chief  was followed by formation of a five-member committee  to investigate the claims against him and present a report in the House within ten days.

They are Mr Joash Omwenga, Ms Jacqueline Awino Nyang’ala, Mr Anthony Karanja, Mr Stephen Kambi and Mr Maurice Akuk.

If the claims are substantiated, the Assembly will vote on whether to approve the resolution requiring Mr Ondieki to be dismissed.

The motion  was passed on Wednesday in spite of a last minute effort by Governor Evans Kidero to save him.

Taking bribes

The Assembly ignored his letter asking them to spare Mr  Ondieki because the allegations did not warrant his removal.

In the April 28 letter to Assembly Speaker Mr Alex Ole Magelo, Dr Kidero said it was unfair to condemn the transport officer on the basis of media reports.

He was referring to reports that quoted Mr Ondieki condemning the County Reps for opposing the planned launch of county buses in July. He was said to have accused them of taking bribes to frustrate the move.

Based on Mr Ondieki’s claims, Governor Kidero questioned the Reps ability to handle the matter objectively.

“No organ should be a prosecutor, investigator and a judge in their own cause,” he said. The Governor said the impeachment motion was not in line with Article 75(2) of the Constitution and Section 40 of the County Government Act. He called for an impartial tribunal to hear out Mr Ondieki.

The Reps however insisted they were not on a warpath with the officer for his remarks but merely revamping a department which would ensure their political survival.

“This is not a show of might by the Assembly. Time is running out and we have nothing to show for it. This House raised taxes, but Nairobi residents are not getting the commensurate services,” Ngara Ward representative Mr Chege Mwaura said.

 Additional reporting by Otiato Guguyu and Billy Muiruri.