Kericho politics once again took center stage in the Senate after Governor Eric Mutai managed to survive his second impeachment attempt, leaving behind sharp divisions among lawmakers.
The Friday, August 29, 2025 decision drew different reactions, with Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale emerging among those most dissatisfied with the outcome. Khalwale went online shortly after the vote, revealing that he and 15 of his colleagues had backed the motion to remove Mutai from office but were outnumbered by those who defended him.
He made it clear that 16 senators wanted Mutai out, 26 opposed the move while one abstained, and he apologized to the residents of Kericho, saying he had done his part.
The entire process had dragged on for three days, with the central debate not being about the substance of the charges but rather whether the County Assembly had conducted its vote properly.
Senators were confronted with the technical question of whether the required two-thirds majority was met at the County Assembly when the impeachment motion was first passed.
The matter turned so contentious that the House found itself stuck in endless debate over procedure and technicalities, without digging into the real accusations.The Kericho County Assembly had put forward three serious charges against the governor, including violation of the Constitution, abuse of office, and gross misconduct. However, questions around the legitimacy of the voting process clouded everything else.
To strengthen his defense, Governor Mutai called close to 20 witnesses, most of them members of the County Assembly alongside an IT expert, to explain the process.
On their part, the MCAs pushing for his removal lined up six witnesses, while the Senate invited an independent expert from the ICT Authority.
Despite all these testimonies, none of the experts could conclusively confirm whether the voting actually took place as required or if the necessary numbers were reached.
When it finally came down to a vote, the Senate was divided. Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot presented the motion, but 26 senators opposed it, saying the evidence from Kericho was too weak and unverifiable.
Sixteen senators stood with Khalwale and supported the governor’s removal, arguing that the threshold had indeed been reached.
One senator chose to abstain, leaving Mutai with enough support to retain his seat.
Nyamira Senator Okongo Omogeni captured the frustration in the chamber when he argued that the electronic voting system used by the Kericho Assembly looked like it was designed specifically to protect the governor.
He admitted that after three days of listening to witnesses, including experts, there was still reasonable doubt in his mind as to whether 33 MCAs had truly voted for the motion.
His remarks reflected the confusion and suspicion that surrounded the entire process.
Governor Mutai’s survival has now left the people of Kericho divided, with some celebrating the outcome while others feel let down by the Senate.
Khalwale’s strong reaction shows that the impeachment fight is far from over, as questions about governance, accountability, and political influence remain unsettled.
The controversy over how the Assembly handled its vote will likely haunt local politics for a long time, leaving the governor’s critics still determined to hold him accountable.
