The High Court in Meru has overturned the impeachment of Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamud.
In a ruling on Wednesday, Justices Edward Muriithi, Patrick Jeremy Otieno and Thripsisa Cherere declared that Abdi’s removal from offie was illegal.
They said there was no public participation during the impeachment at the Wajir County Assembly.
The court noted the county assembly did not provide evidence of public participation in the removal of Governor Abdi.
The judges ruled the impeachment motion filed by Tulatula MCA Abdullahi Issack at the county assembly was defective and should not have been debated.
“Mohamed Abdi Mohamud was not removed from office legally… The swearing-in of Ahmed Mukhtar as the governor of Wajir and the appointment of Hashim Musa as deputy governor is therefore null and void,” the judges ruled.
To allow a smooth handover, the judges directed that Governor Abdid resumes office on March 10, 2022, when Ahmed Mukhtar, who had taken over as governor, is supposed to vacate office.
Governor Mohamud was impeached on allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office and financial impropriety. Thirty-seven MCAs voted in favour of the impeachment motion while 10 opposed his removal from office in April 2021.
