Court declines to lift degazettement of Roba as Isiolo speaker, sets hearing for August 11

Instead, Justice Bahati Mwamuye asked the petitioner, Operation Linda Jamii, to “serve the Application, Petition, and these Directions on all five (5) Respondents and all twenty (20) Interested Parties in both hardcopy and softcopy by close of business 09/07/2025 and file an Affidavit of Service in that regard by close of business 10/07/2025.” 

“The Respondents and Interested Parties shall enter appearance and file and serve their respective responses to both the Application and the Petition by close of business 16/07/2025,” the court further directed.

Justice Mwamuye further asked the petitioner to file and serve written submissions in support of the Application by close of business on July 25, 2025.

Operation Linda Jamii had moved to court seeking to suspend the gazette notice that was published on June 27, naming Banticha as Speaker. 

With the gazettement of  Abdullahi Jaldesa Banticha, it meant that embattled Speaker Mohamed Roba ceased being the substantive Speaker. 

The petitioners wanted the court to order that pending inter-party hearing of the application, Banticha be prohibited from forcibly taking over the office of Speaker of the County Assembly of Isiolo pending the hearing and application of this application.

They also wanted that pending the inter partes hearing of the application, the Attorney General be forced to cancel and or revoke the gazette Notice No.8667 that appointed Banticha as the Speaker of Isiolo County Assembly.

They further wanted Banticha and embattled Clerk Salad Boru to be barred from enjoying the benefits that come from the offices they hold. 

Court further directed that rebuttal written submissions, by the petitioner only, shall be filed and served by close of business August 8, while the hearing will be August 11 by way of highlighting of written submissions, virtually.

This comes amid an ongoing battle in the Isiolo County Assembly. The split emerged after MCAs filed an impeachment motion against Governor Abdi Guyo. 

The County Assembly had filed an impeachment motion against Guyo on the grounds of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and violation of various laws and the Constitution.

On June 26, Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) passed the motion to oust the embattled governor with 16 out of 18 present voting in favour of the impeachment motion, two abstaining, and no member opposing the motion.

The motion was then tabled in the Senate for determination, as provided under Article 181 of the Constitution and Section 33 of the County Governments Act.

On July 8, the Senate held a plenary session to discuss the impeachment motion. 

Guyo survived an impeachment after the Senate upheld his defence against the County Assembly.

While presenting his statement in the House, Governor Guyo raised objections on whether the Isiolo County Assembly held sittings on June 18 and 26 to debate and pass the motion for his ouster.

By way of voting, 31 Senators upheld the objection against 12, granting Guyo a lifeline to remain in office.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, however, cautioned Guyo against extending the tiff in the county leadership, urging him to streamline broken relationships with dissenting legislators.

"This is not a win, and the Senate does not expect you to go out there chest-thumping. This is a postponement of your case. Depending on how you are going to carry yourself going forward, that case may never be heard or may be back here in a matter of days. It's up to you," Kingi noted.

"Clearly there are cracks in the walls of Isiolo County. If I were you, I'd go mend those cracks. You need to have a sitting with your Senator, even if it's through a third party. You need to mend your relationship with the County Assembly."