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Vihiga Senator Godfrey Ososti claims President William Ruto influenced the outcome of Monday’s impeachment proceedings against embattled Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol.

Oduol survived an impeachment motion brought to the Senate by the Siaya County Assembly after 27 out of 43 senators voted to keep him in office.

Only 16 senators, a majority from the opposition’s Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition, voted in favour of two charges of gross violation of the constitution and abuse of office, that a Senate special committee probing the impeachment found to have been substantiated.

But reacting to the Senate proceedings on Tuesday, Ososti claimed senators allied to the Kenya Kwanza administration were manipulated by the ruling party luminaries to vote against the removal of Oduol from office.

The outspoken legislator claimed he learnt about the plot from a high-ranking senator from the majority side.

“I was in an Azimio senator’s meeting then a senior member of the majority side walked in and said gentlemen the report was done in a manner in which it was done we had agreed to vote in a bipartisan way but I’m sorry we won’t go that way because I have express intuitions to lobby my members to reject this report,” Ososti said during an interview with Citizen TV.

“He explained himself and said even my job is online I will have to take that position,” he added.

Ososti alleged that majority of the senators on the majority side wanted Oduol sent packing.

“I also met two members of the majority side, one member from Northern Kenya and another from Mount Kenya, who said our position is this but unfortunately we are not going to vote with our conscience we are going to vote because we have been directed to vote this way and that’s the truth,” the senator said, adding that MPs were forced to vote in favour of the contentious Finance Bill 2023.

Faulting the executive for allegedly interfering with the legislative arm of government Ososti said: “Why do we need Parliament if we are directed how to vote?”

Oduol, who was impeached by the Siaya County Assembly on June 8, was accused of spending Sh18 million of the taxpayers’ money to renovate his office for personal comfort after assuming office in August last year.

An office chair at the centre of the impeachment of Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol was presented before the Senate committee probing the ouster on Thursday.

The armchair is said to have cost the taxpayers a whopping Sh1,120,000.

The MCAs told the Senate that Oduol spent Sh1.1million to procure a “presidential” chair in disregard of the procurement plan.

The MCAs said the funds would have been channelled to support learners through the county’s bursary programme.