Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has warned senators against violating the chamber’s standing orders through their speech or conduct ahead of the impeachment hearing against Kericho Governor Erick Mutai.

While reading the notification of impeachment and charges levelled against Mutai during a special sitting on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the speaker urged the members to embrace best practices while executing its quasi-judicial mandate.

“During the pendency of this impeachment process in the Senate, I wish to caution senators to refrain from publicly commenting on the merits or demerits of the impeachment motion before the Senate,” he warned.

The speaker also pointed out other misdeeds that could infringe upon a fair and just determination of the hearing.

“It shall also be out of order within the meaning of standing order 122 for any senator to make statement, written or spoken, relating to the conduct of the governor or the impeachment process outside the confines of the impeachment proceedings, as such comments may affect the fair and just outcome of this process,” he stated

This comes after the Senate opted for a full plenary hearing to determine the fate of Governor Mutai, shelving an earlier plan to form a special committee to probe his impeachment charges.

The plenary hearing was adopted after Majority Leader in the Senate Aaron Cheruiyot, had moved that an 11-member special committee be appointed to handle the matter.

However, without a seconder, the motion could not proceed, prompting Speaker Amason Kingi to rule that the Senate will instead hear the impeachment case in a full plenary session scheduled for August 27, 28, and 29, 2025.

Kingi directed the Clerk of the Senate to issue formal invitations to the involved parties by August 21, require responses by August 25, and circulate all received documents to Senators by the close of business on August 26.

According to Kingi, the impeachment motion against the governor, dated Friday, August 15, 2025, and signed by the Speaker of the Kericho County Assembly, cited gross violation of the Constitution, misappropriation of funds, and gross misconduct by the governor.