Garissa
Criticism heaped on Supreme Court for delaying Wajir petition outcome
Wajir governor Mohamed Abdi during Court preceding at the Supreme Court building. (Courtesy)
NAIROBI—Calls to dispense ruling on Wajir gubernatorial petition is gaining momentum with legal scholars now saying precedent set by the apex Court not healthy.
The legal heavyweight such as Makau Mutua joins elected leaders from Wajir County who termed the unusual delay unprecedented.
While criticising the Supreme Court ruling on hijab in schools, the SUNY law processor called on the Court to tune judgement and court process in a manner that will protect the vulnerable between the parties.
“As lawyers in a democracy, we are taught that where in a conflict there’s a tie between the state as the censor and the speaker, the decision goes to the latter. That’s why the SCoK should’ve ruled for the vulnerable minority,” Makau urgued in response to the Court’s infamous Hijab ban and close reference to delayed ruling of Wajir petition.
The senator of Dr Abdullahi Ali during press briefing in Wajir. (Courtesy)
Mutua’s sentiment was echoed by the senator of Wajir who said delay is causing harm on the locals who anticipate for a final ruling in a petition that dragged for more than 18 months.
While making his presentating before the Building Bridges Initiative at Wajir, senator Abdullahi Ali challenged the Chief Justice David Maraga to expedite the ruling on the petition.
“The Supreme Court is not above the law and it should not act that way. It should dispense the final judgement to end the suffering of the people,” Senator Kabreta said.
True to the senator’s statement, county operations has been rendered stagnant since the executive remain on the edge in painful wait for Supreme Court final decision on whether they will serve or pack.
Most of the junior staff members remain unengaged due to “partial suspension” of county operations.
Most hospitals reject county employees seeking to be covered using National Hospitals Insurance Fund(NHIF) because the local administration has not been remitting their contributions to the medical cover.
Ahmed Abdullahi and Ahmed Muhumed walk out of the Supreme Court building. (Courtesy)
In November, Kulan Post reported how the county administration was working with a local bank manager in an elaborate heist to launder staff monthly contributions.
On the last week of January, detectives from the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) have raided the Wajir County government offices in an ongoing investigation.
EACC spokesman Yassin Amaro said the Wednesday raid was aimed at gathering additional information in the ongoing graft probe in county.
“Wajir County has been under investigations for over a year and today our officers went to collect more information that is related to the ongoing corruption cases,” he said.
Mr Amaro further told the Nation that their officers also managed to stop a fresh corruption incident that was in progress in the county.
“Let the people know whether the governor (Mohamed Abdi) will leave (the seat) or he will continue serving,” Dr Abdullahi said.
Lawyer Omwanza Ombati last week wrotew to the Supreme Court seeking to know why ruling on Wajir petition is taking longer than other gubernatorial petitioner.
Wajir County residents have remained clutched to a feeble string of hope in an agonizing 18 month wait for final decision since September 2017.
