Court issues orders halting impeachment of Bungoma CECs

The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu has halted the impeachment process against Bungoma Health CEC Dr Anthony Walela and Public Administration CEC Richard Sabwami Keya. The order was issued on 22nd June by Justice Mathews Nduma after a petition was filed seeking a restraining order. The petitioners are Health CEC Walela as the 1st petitioner, Public Administration CEC Keya as the 2nd petitioner and Mathews Makanda as the 3rd petitioner. The County Assembly of Bungoma has been included as the 3rd respondent, Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati as the 4th respondent and the County government of Bungoma as the 5th respondent.

“That pending the hearing and determination of this petition, the Honourable Court hereby grants conservatory orders restraining the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents from attempting to impeach, impeaching, removing or in any way interfering with the tenure of the petitioners as the County Executive Committee members of the 4th and 5th respondents,” read part of the order. The Court also issued conservatory orders restraining 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents from publishing, forwarding and gazetting any decisions made against the petitioners to the 4th and 5th respondents.

The Bungoma County Assembly had voted to impeach the leaders last week, owing to graft among other reasons. MCAs had accused Health CEC Walela of corruption involving the funds set aside to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic. He was also accused of nepotism, after he allegedly awarded a tender to his relative to supply medical equipment to Bumula sub county hospital.