Political Parties Disputes Tribunal last Friday stopped changes that had been announced at the Garissa county assembly. The county assembly speaker had earlier on Wednesday announced the changes that touched on the majority leadership.
Abdi Idle
In the changes that were announced to the assembly by speaker Abdi Idle, Galbet ward MCA Abubakar Khalif was replaced by Mohamed Farah who is serving his third consecutive term.
But the PPDT chairman Desma Nungo overturned the announcement following a petition by Khalif and Abdi Ibrahim Daar. The application by the two dated September 7 2023 was certified urgent for consideration ex-partes in the first instance only. They were allowed to serve the respondents in two days. The respondents and interested parties will file and serve their responses in five days.
The case will be mentioned on September 15 2023 to check on compliance and/or for further directions.
“Pending the hearing and determination of this application, an interim order is hereby issued staying the implementation of the decisions and the declaration of the speaker of the county assembly of Garissa pursuant to two letters all dated September 3 2023 on the replacement of the 1st and 2nd complainants as the majority party leader and majority whip in the county assembly of Garissa,” read the ruling.
The tribunal issued a temporary order restraining the 1st and 2nd respondents from assuming or continuing to assume or hold the office of the leader of majority party and majority whip in the county assembly of Garissa.
On September 3 2023 errant members of the party intent to defeat the course of political justice, democracy and citizen representation in the Garissa county assembly purported to make changes to the leadership in the house.
Junet Mohamed
This state of affairs was orchestrated when the leader of majority who travelled out of the country on official duties. The members of the Azimio coalition through the back door presented their names to the speaker seeing a declaration on change of leadership. Azimio secretary general Junet Mohamed denounced the changes.
“It has been brought to our attention of a communication dated September 3 2023 and received in your office on September 5 2023 purporting to change the leadership of the majority party/coalition in the Garissa county assembly.”
“At no given time as the coalition party, we have sanctioned the said changes in the County Assembly,” he stated.
He said in a letter to the Speaker while the office of the Secretary General attempts to ascertain the propriety or otherwise of the actions taken, we urge that the status quo be reverted immediately.
