Taita Taveta Governor-elect Granton Samboja at a past event. [Photo/ tupo.co.ke]
Taita Taveta Governor-elect Granton Samboja has been handed reprieve after a Mombasa court rejected a petition seeking to stop his swearing in, slated for Monday.
The petitioner, Mr Armstrong Mwandoo Kiwoi, had on Friday asked the court to halt the inauguration ceremony until the case against the newly elected county boss is determined.Kiwoi told the court that Samboja is not illegible to hold office because he did not have the required academic ethical qualifications.The Attorney General, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Taita Taveta County Government were mentioned as respondents in the case.In his ruling, Mombasa High Court Judge Eric Ogola rejected the case citing time constraints."While this court can stop the swearing in, the time factor is so short. I cannot deny the respondent a right to be sworn in as Governor without hearing him,” said Judge Ogola, as quoted by the Nation.The Judge also said that Samboja deserves to be heard before the ruling is made as stated in the Constitution."The right to be sworn in is protected by the law and cannot be taken away without hearing the Governor,” he added.