Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo has survived an impeachment attempt after the Senate on Tuesday dismissed the case brought against him by the County Assembly, citing procedural flaws and an active court order barring the process.

The Senate voted in favour of a preliminary objection raised by Guyo’s legal team, which argued that the Assembly’s motion was invalid due to an existing court injunction and failure to meet legal requirements. A total of 31 elected senators voted to uphold the objection, effectively ending the proceedings. Only 12 opposed the motion.

Senators maintained that while impeachment is a key accountability tool, it must strictly follow constitutional and legal procedures.

“Justice must be served to all parties.In this case, we have the Isiolo County Assembly on one side and the governor on the other. The process and procedure must be followed,” said Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna supported the objection, urging the House to respect court rulings.

“It would be the darkest day for any lawyer if court orders are disobeyed. The question of whether a sitting took place on that day has already been addressed. I am not convinced that there was no sitting on June 26, 2025,” he said.

Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo also stressed the need for fairness and strict adherence to the Constitution and relevant laws.

However, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, who had earlier defended his own county’s governor against impeachment on procedural grounds, opposed halting such cases at the preliminary stage.

“An impeachment process should not end at the preliminary objection level. I urge you to allow the process to go the full distance so that justice is served to the people of Isiolo and the issues raised are properly evaluated,” he said.

He added that he would propose changes to the Standing Orders to prevent premature termination of impeachment proceedings.

Mandera Senator Ali Roba agreed, warning that stopping the matter early denied justice. “Justice can only be achieved by examining the substance of the case. What we’re doing is killing the case before it even begins,” he said.

But others stood firmly behind the dismissal. Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi questioned the legitimacy of the Assembly’s process, saying, “You cannot allow people to sit in a bar, present a motion to us, and this house sends away a governor who has been duly elected by the people. That will be setting a wrong precedent.”

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale called on MCAs countrywide to respect the seriousness of impeachment and stop using shortcuts, while Kitui Senator Enock Wambua insisted that the law must take precedence.

“If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit. It doesn’t matter what the Governor of Isiolo has done. We are here debating the process under which the governor was brought here. Let the MCAs of Isiolo get the process right. The Senate is here,” he said.