Governor Abdi Guyo Survives Impeachment Bid Amid Senate Reprieve

Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo appearing before the Senate on July 8, 2025.

Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo has survived an impeachment attempt after the Senate ruled that the Isiolo County Assembly failed to follow due process in passing the motion seeking his removal from office.

In a dramatic turn of events on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the Senate voted 31–12 in favor of an objection raised by Guyo's legal team, which argued that the sittings held on June 18 and June 26 during which the impeachment motion was passed were not properly convened. This technicality proved critical, as it rendered the entire process null and void in the eyes of the Senate.

Governor Guyo had been accused of gross misconduct, abuse of office, stalling development projects, and inflating the county's executive staff, including hiring 36 advisers and 31 chief officers. These charges came despite Isiolo County being among the lowest-funded devolved units in the country. The County Assembly alleged that the Governor’s bloated administration was draining public resources and crippling service delivery.

But Guyo’s legal defense held firm. They maintained that the Assembly failed to meet constitutional and legal thresholds in initiating the impeachment, a position the Senate agreed with. The ruling not only dismissed the motion but also questioned the procedural integrity of the County Assembly’s internal processes.

Despite the victory, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi delivered a stern warning to Governor Guyo. He emphasized that the decision was based solely on procedural grounds and not on the substance of the allegations. “This should not be seen as a triumph, but rather as a wake-up call,” Kingi said, urging the Governor to urgently mend relations with both the County Assembly and the Senate.

The impeachment attempt has exposed deep political rifts within Isiolo County leadership. Sources close to the County Assembly claim the push to remove Guyo stemmed from frustrations over stalled projects and internal wrangles over county appointments and resource allocation.

Guyo, on his part, maintained that the impeachment was driven by political vendettas and dismissed the allegations as baseless and malicious. “The Assembly acted outside the law, and the Senate has affirmed that. My focus remains on delivering development to the people of Isiolo,” he said after the ruling.

As tension continues to simmer in Isiolo, political observers warn that unless Governor Guyo reconciles with the Assembly, a fresh impeachment motion could soon resurface this time with lessons learned from the failed attempt.

Reporting by: Kelvin Ng’ang’a
Thika, Kenya – July 9, 2025