MPs to vote on motion to impeach Prof Kaimenyi tomorrow

What you need to know:

The motion filed by Matayos MP Geoffrey Odanga will be debated Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Odanga wants Prof Kaimenyi removed from office for gross misconduct, violation of the Constitution and other laws.
He says the CS had failed to among other things apply due diligence in the procurement of the Sh17 billion laptop programme for Standard One pupils and failed to adhere to procurement regulations.

Parliamentarians will tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon vote on a motion asking President Uhuru Kenyatta to dismiss Education secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi even as central Kenya MPs claimed there is a plot to topple government.

The patron of Central Kenya Parliamentary Group Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi said the motion to impeach Prof Kaimenyi is part of the opposition’s wider scheme to overthrow President Kenyatta's government.

“They started with Francis Kimemia (Secretary to the Cabinet), Mutea Iringo (PS Defence), Monica Juma (Secretary to the cabinet nominee), Anne Waiguru (Devolution) and now Prof Kaimenyi (Education). We see this as a deliberate scheme to weaken the presidency by undermining all key government projects by targeting performing ministers,” Kiraitu said at a Press Conference at Parliament buildings Tuesday afternoon.

The MPs asked Jubilee lawmakers not to support the motion filed by Matayos MP Geoffrey Odanga which will be debated Wednesday afternoon. Mr Odanga wants Prof Kaimenyi removed from office for gross misconduct, violation of the Constitution and other laws.

The first term MP said the Education CS had failed to among other things apply due diligence in the procurement of the Sh17 billion laptop programme for Standard One pupils and failed to adhere to procurement regulations contrary to section 27 of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act, 2013.

He also wants the CS sacked for failing to disburse requisite funding to registered educational institutions, failure to spearhead implementation of the taskforce report on school fees, treating the national assembly with contempt and refusal to consult stakeholders on key issues such as exam ranking among others.

Mr Odanga said Prof Kaimenyi appeared to have committed gross violation of the Public Officers Ethics Act, 2003 and allowed many educational institutions to operate without boards of management contrary to section six of the Education Act, 2007.

He accused the minister of failing to sufficiently promote education contrary to Articles 43(f), 53(b), 54(b), 55(a) and 56(b) of the Constitution.

“This House resolves that pursuant to Article 152(6) of the Constitution, the President dismisses Prof Jacob Kaimenyi from the position of cabinet secretary of Education, Science and Technology for gross misconduct and gross violation of the Constitution and other laws,” Mr Odanga said in the motion filed last week.

Prof Kaimenyi becomes the second minister after Devolution Secretary Anne Waiguru to face a dismissal motion by the House. Ms Waiguru’s motion did not see the light of day after Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi who sponsored the same failed to appear before the House to give notice within the stipulated three days after the Speaker notifies the House.

Mr Kiraitu, who was accompanied by eight MPs, said the ultimate goal of targeting cabinet ministers is to weaken the government.

“We are not going to allow some people to derail Jubilee from implementing critical development agenda. We ask our MPs not to support the motion for removal of Prof Kaimenyi,” he said.