Beleaguered Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachiis facing a grim fate after as the assembly leadership retreated to Mombasa to strategise her last ejection push from office even as Labour Relations Court is deliver a ruling on Friday this week.
Yesterday, Nairobi County Assembly leaders retreated to Mombasa a day after an acrimonious attempt to evict Elachifrom office but her stay tied to a conservatory court order barring her exit until a petition she filed is heard and determined.
Sources privy to the political undercurrents that have rocked City Hall intimated the assembly is determined to see Elachi exit from office following the overwhelming impeachment motion against her last week.
Although Nairobi Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) maintain a vote of no confidence against Elachi was precipitated by deep political matrix and her invitation of detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to probe alleged fraud in expenditure of taxpayers’ money by the assembly.
According to impeccable sources, former Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Alex Ole Magelo’s name was floated as a likely candidate to succeed Elachi.
Magelo was among of the leaders hosted by Nairobi governor Mike Sonko at his Mua Hill last weekend immedieatly before a section of ward leaders staged violent eviction attempt targeting the Speaker.
Yesterday, Elachi office remained under lock and key similar to that of Majority and Minority leaders Abdi Guyo and Elias Otieno respectively.
“We are at Sirop Hotel in Mombasa over the issue. By the time we come back to Nairobi, we will have a solution.” One of the leaders intimated.
However, Sonko publicly denied any input in machinations to force Elachi out.
“I have no issues with madam Elachi because some guys are pointing fingers at me. I used to have very good working relationship when she was the Senate Majority Whip and I was her deputy.” Sonko said.
The Ward representatives are irked by Elachi’s decision to invite investigators a move likely to open a can of worms of possible existing and past rot by both political leaders and administrative arm of the assembly.
Five senior officials at the Nairobi county assembly and a businessman were arrested and charged with several counts of corruption in relation to a tender for supply of books worth close to Sh1 million after Elachi invited DCI George Kinoti’sintervention.
They include Assembly clerk Jacob Ngwele, his deputy AdahAwour, include Philomena Kavinya (principal accountant), James Kariuki (senior procurement officer), Fredrick Mwangi(senior finance and planning officer) and Raphael Maluki(proprietor of Primara Ventures).
In a motion moved by Waithaka MCA Anthony Kiragu, they accused Elachi of taking up functions of the County Assembly Board while at the same time subjecting board members to unnecessary suspicion and investigations.
The leaders said that during the purchase of the speaker’s house, Elachi interfered, bullied, and intimidated staff so as to get her say.
The motion was backed by 103 members while two voted against and two others abstained.
