Machakos County Assembly on Wednesday impeached Finance and Planning Executive Member Eng. Francis Maliti on seven grounds including incompetence and gross violation of the constitution.
33 members voted to impeach the Finance Executive. The house has a total of 59 members and only a third of the members was needed to remove the executive. 26 members were absent during the debate.
Mr Maliti who is also the Deputy Governor was directly appointed to the docket by Governor Alfred Mutua without being vetted by the Assembly.In a motion moved by Matungulu Ward Representative Cosmas Masesi. the MCAs said Mr Maliti had repeatedly failed to discharge his duties within time as the head of Treasury in Machakos County. Mr Masesi said under Mr Maliti’s watch the County had failed to raise its revenue target of Sh1.7 billion. He said if the name of Mr Maliti had been forwarded to the house for vetting it would not have been approved.
His sentiments were supported by Mumbuni North Ward Rep Paul Museku. “Engineer Maliti does not have a degree in Finance or Economic and has not had any distinguished career in Finance, how does he become the Finance Executive?,”posed Museku. He said it is time the county started running its affairs professionally. Masinga Central Ward MCA Tariq Mulatya said the assembly should write to all government departments and even to President Uhuru Kenyatta to ensure Mr Maliti is not allowed to transact any business as Finance Executive.
Kivaa Ward MCA Justus Kiteng’u said by being directly appointed by Governor Mutua, Mr Maliti was serving the interests his master and not answerable to the people.Other grounds for impeachment included his failure to report to the house on the implementation of the Annual County Budget, failing to implement the County Bursary Fund as established in 2014 and failing to implement Machakos County Health Management Fund regulations 2015.The Health Management Fund had the objective to ensure all funds collected in health facilities are ploughed back to the health facilities.Mr Maliti was also cited for failing to implement the resolutions of the County Assembly Suplementary and Appropriation Act 2018 which outlined various projects to be undertaken at the Ward Level. All Ward Representatives allied to governor Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap Party boycotted the debate.The house also formed a committee to further investigate the allegations against Mr Maliti and present a report within ten days.