Embattled Speaker Beatrice Elachi today resigned from her seat just hours after 86 out of 123 MCAs approved her impeachment.
While announcing her resignation, Ms. Elachi cited threats to her life and that of her family among the reasons for stepping down.
“Governor Sonko, you cannot go on threatening people’s lives and their families. You also have a family. You cannot have everything, just nurture what God has given you,” she said in a statement.
But that is not why she was forced to resign, Elachi was facing several allegations including abuse of office, misappropriation of funds, contempt of court, illegal usurpation of powers among others.
Further, the Speaker had lost the support of staff at the Assembly after Clerk Jacob Ngwele was reinstated by the court.
She is also accused of usurping the functions of a substantive clerk, including approving and authorizing expenditure, approving the procurement of goods and services, and approving of payments, among other wrongdoings.
She played a huge role in the irregular appointments of staff without the approval of the Nairobi City County Assembly board while using President Uhuru Kenyatta’s name and the NMS as a shield.
Towards the end, she is accused of collaborating with rogue police officers to brutalize MCAs. Mlango Kubwa MCA Patricia Mutheu being a case in point.
Perhaps the last straw, the Elachi was accused of disrespecting the Jubilee Party by refusing to accept the reinstatement of Abdi Guyo as the majority leader despite a letter from the party SG Raphael Tuju. On the contrary, she went ahead and unilaterally suspended the interim majority leader Charles Thuo.
