Two senior officers suspended from Kisii county assembly by Speaker Ondieki Okerosi have threatened to seek judicial redress, if they will not be reinstated to their duty pending a case they filed in court against the assembly on an attempt to oust them in May this year.
The two, clerk of the assembly, James Nyaoga and Director of Finance, Joseph Amenya were relieved off duties on Friday after impeachment motion passed by the house of Thursday ousting them. The duo are accused of sabotaging the business of the assembly.
“I will not leave office till the case that is in court is heard and determined. I therefore warn the speaker that its contravention to the law by suspending officers yet there is a case in court challenging the grounds of ousting the same person,” Nyaoga said. His remarks were supported by his co-accused, Amenya who revealed there no grounds for their suspension.
“How could the MCAs want to be paid money they did not deserve? That is quite wrong and am not shaken by anybody.”
On Tuesday, a section of MCAs stormed into the office of the clerk, and finally bud-locked the office. They accused the clerk of denying them sitting allowances, allegations the clerk said were not justifiable.
The incident coincided with the ousting of six officers in the Nyamira government for allegedly embezzling public funds.
In the Auditor’s report, the four executive members implicated in the misappropriation of funds include; Education Minister, Peter Ogwara, who in the report is alleged to have embezzled Sh12 million, Kepha Osoro in charge of roads and public works, ECM for Finance and Planning, John Omanwa and Executive Member for Water and Sanitation, Andrew Ombati.
The other two officers suspended on Friday by Nyamira governor John Nyagarama are chief officers. Nyamira MPs led by Kitu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire and his West Mugirango counterpart Dr. James Gesami, have since hailed the county assembly for the bold step they took against the corrupt officers.
The governor’s step of cracking the whip was also hailed by Charles Mochama who is the World Bank consultant and Nyamira gubernatorial aspirant.