Nyamira Governor Nyaribo Unveils Legal Team and Witnesses Ahead of Senate Impeachment Trial

A seven-member team of lawyers will defend and prosecute the impeachment trial of Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, which begins on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at the Senate. The lawyers include Elias Mutua, Zelmer Bonuke, Ombui Ratemo, Brianalee Murithii, and Erastus Orina as lead counsels, while Sylivia Njoki and Michelle Makandi will serve as legal assistants. Nyaribo, who will also appear in person, has lined up four witnesses to support his defence according to a communication sent to the Senate. Members of County Asembly (MCAs) Priscilla Nyatichi (Nominated), Julius Obonyo (Bobwagamo Ward), and Elijah Abere (Nominated), alongside Gladys Moraa, will serve as his witnesses. The three MCAs have disowned letters they allegedly wrote to the County Assembly Speaker Thadeus Nyabaro allowing voting by proxy. Nyaribo's legal team will be raising a preliminary objection and hopes that senators will uphold it on the grounds that the Assembly did not attain the threshold required. The plenary hearings, during which the full House will convene as a trial court, are expected to be closely watched as senators decide the governor’s political future. During the voting held in Nyamira last week, 23 MCAs voted to impeach him despite only 19 being present during the exercise, as 12 kept off. Speaker Nyabaro allowed five of those present to vote on behalf of their absent colleagues to attain the threshold required to send it to the Senate. With the controversy of whether the motion got the required threshold, Nyaribo’s lawyers say they will rely on the Senate precedent where similar charges were dropped against Isiolo’s Abdi Guyo and Kericho’s Eric Mutai on technical grounds. The process will formally open on Wednesday, December 3rd, with the reading of charges leveled against Governor Nyaribo. He will then be required to enter a plea, either admitting or denying responsibility. Thereafter, the County Assembly, which initiated the impeachment, will present its case first, outlining evidence and arguments to support the governor’s removal from office. The Assembly’s legal team is set to table documents and cross-examine witnesses to reinforce its claims. Governor Nyaribo’s defence team will subsequently be granted an opportunity to respond. They are expected to challenge the allegations, call their own witnesses, and subject them to cross-examination. Once both sides have presented their cases, the Senate will debate the motion before taking a decisive vote on Thursday, 4 December 2025. A majority of county delegations will be required to either uphold or dismiss the charges. By the letter Ref. SPK/CAN/1/2025, dated November, 2025, and received in the Office of the Speaker of the Senate on November 16, 2025, the Speaker of the County Assembly of Nyamira informed the Speaker of the Senate of the approval of the Motion by the County Assembly and further forwarded to the Speaker of the Senate, documents in evidence of the proceedings of the Assembly. Governor Nyaribo was impeached by the County Assembly of Nyamira on two grounds: gross violation of the Constitution and other laws and abuse of office. Majority Leader Sen. Aaron Cheruiyot had initially moved a Motion to establish an eleven-member select committee to handle the proposed removal through impeachment, but it collapsed after it failed to get a seconder, paving the way for the full plenary hearing.