State House calls saved Oduol from impeachment, Senator Osotsi claims

Vihiga Senator Goeffrey Osotsi now claims Monday’s events at the Senate, that saw Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol survive impeachment, had a hand from State House.

A majority of Senators voted against the bid to remove Oduol from office. The impeachment motion stemmed from a tiff he had with his boss, Governor James Orengo, that irked most Siaya MCAs and leaders.

Osotsi, speaking to Citizen TV on Tuesday’s Day Break program, described Monday’s events as “another confirmation that Parliamentary democracy is on trial,” saying the Senate special committee probing allegations against Oduol “did a fantastic job, looked at evidence provided by all the parties and found Oduol culpable.”

“Seven members voted for the report and only four members decided not to vote for it, because of the phone calls that they got... The Kenya Kwanza team was called into a meeting, phone calls were made and they were told ‘You must ensure that this report is passed’,” the senator said.

Asked by who, the senator told the host, Sam Gituku, “By State House,” and when pressed further on the matter, he added, “They are our friends, we talk to them. One of the members confided in me that he has even been summoned this morning at State House to explain why he voted the way he did.”

The DG was being probed after he was linked to allegations of gross violation of the constitution, misuse of public resources, and other laws.

Twenty-seven senators voted against the two grounds that the committee had found to have been proven and substantiated. Meanwhile, sixteen senators, majorly from the Azimio side, voted to remove Oduol from office.

According to Osotsi, all eleven senators had adopted the committee report even though five were against it.

However, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei, with whom Senator Osotsi was on the panel, dismissed the lawmaker’s allegations as reckless.

She defended President William Ruto, saying his busy schedule would not allow him to pursue such matters as trying to influence the impeachment of a deputy governor.

“It’s quite reckless to say there were calls from State House. To make such statements on national TV. Implying such wrongdoings on the head of state is a very serious matter. Everybody knows the president’s schedule is jam-packed, so to think he has time to make a phone call over the impeachment of a deputy governor in Siaya is stretching your imagination a little too far,” said Shollei.

Meanwhile, Oduol has since said he intends to seek the help of elders and churches to reconcile with Governor Orengo.