Impeached Kericho Governor Erick Mutai has linked his removal from office by the County Assembly to political rivalry with County Assembly Speaker Patrick Mutai, accusing him of orchestrating the process to secure an easier path to the 2027 gubernatorial race.

Speaking at Siloam Hospital shortly after his impeachment on Friday, August 15, 2025, the former governor dismissed the charges levelled against him, terming them as politically motivated. He argued that the impeachment was not about governance or accountability but rather a calculated strategy by the speaker to weaken him ahead of the next election.

According to Erick Mutai, Patrick Mutai is well aware that defeating him in a fair contest at the ballot would be nearly impossible. The impeached governor maintained that the impeachment was designed to act as a shortcut to power, positioning the speaker as a front-runner in the 2027 race.

“Impeachment was founded on a political competition Patrick Mutai knows very well; that if he wants to face Governor Mutai on the ballot, he knows he can’t win against Governor Mutai; he wants to use this as his shortcut to power. My advice to him is to stop being a coward; you are the biggest coward of our time,” Erick Mutai states.

Mutai described the move as an act of cowardice, urging the speaker to prepare for a fair contest at the ballot instead of seeking power through backdoor manoeuvres. He vowed to face his opponents in 2027, stating that he would not be intimidated by the political machinations against him.

The ousted governor further revealed that he and his legal team have gathered evidence that they intend to present before the courts and the Senate to challenge the impeachment process. He insisted that the entire exercise lacked merit and was built on political competition rather than genuine concerns of governance.

This comes moments after being impeached. Of the 47 members of the County Assembly (MCAs), 33 voted in favour of the resolution to remove him from office, while 14 others voted against the impeachment.

Impeachment threshold

Before the vote, there were contentious discussions at the special session, which was held in the Kericho County Assembly chambers.

The MCAs accuse Mutai of gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office, and mismanagement of county resources.

The assembly easily surpassed the two-thirds majority needed to remove the governor, with 33 MCAs voting in favour.

During his impeachment trial at the Senate on October 14, 2025, Mutai survived after senators voted to throw out his case.