Kisii Governor Simba Arati has nominated the county public service board chair Elijah Obebo as his deputy.

Kisii County Assembly Speaker Philip Nyanumba made the announcement during a sitting today (Wednesday, March 20).

This comes a day after impeached deputy governor Robert Monda filed an appeal before Kisii law Courts through his lawyers.

Wilkins Achoki, one of Monda’s lawyers, ascertained that they submitted their appeal before Justice Teresa Odera and granted a hearing on Tuesday, March 26.

Renowned lawyer Katwa Kigen is reportedly also one of Monda’s lawyers.

In her response, Justice Odera acknowledged receipt of the appeal and directed that relevant parties be informed of the hearing date.

“I have carefully considered the application dated 18th,03,2024 ex-parte. The same be served. The interparte hearing set 26th, 03,2024 at 10 am,” she added.

Monda was impeached overwhelmingly by senate last week after it was proven that he solicited a bribe of KSh800,000 from Dennis Mokaya.

Apparently, the impeached deputy governor promised Mokaya a position at the Gusii Water and Sanitation Company.

According to the Constitution, Governor Arati had 14 days to nominate a new deputy. The nominee will then be vetted before approval by the County Assembly within 60 days.

The office of the deputy governor can only be declared vacant in the event that the occupant resigns, dies in office or is impeached.

Monda’s impeachment only heightened tension within Kisii politics as National Assembly Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro failed to “save” Monda.

Prior to the impeachment voting in senate, Osoro asserted that the Kisii deputy governor would not be impeached.

“I swear before God, Monda is not going anywhere, you will bring him to Nairobi with the little money you have been given… We know how to deal with it… He is not going anywhere,” he said.

The South Mugirango Member of Parliament was also dismissed as Monda’s legal representative, with senators citing conflict of interest in the matter.