Ousted Speaker Nick Ndichu was accused of financial impropriety. CFM/File.
NAIROBI, Kenya, March 22 – The Kiambu County Assembly is set to hold elections on Monday to elect a new speaker to replace Nick Ndichu who was ousted last month.
The election will be conducted after the Industrial Court threw out a case by Ndichu who had wanted to block the elections until his suit challenging the impeachment is heard and determined, on grounds that it was unprocedural.
Justice Nduma Nderi however ruled that no case had been established to bar the assembly from recruiting a new Speaker.
According to Ndichu, the move by the County Assembly amounted to “public lynching on malicious and unsubstantiated allegations of financial impropriety’.
The judge however, allowed Ndichu 14 days to amend his case to include seeking compensation in the event the final judgment is delivered in his favour.
Ndichu was impeached on allegations of authorising the finance department to fund his travel expenses to Brazil at a cost of over half a million shillings, disregarding laid down procedures.
He alleged that the County Assembly denied him a chance to respond to the allegations raised after debating the motion contrary to order 64 (3) of the Interim County Assemblies Standing Orders.
The county assembly however, insists it followed the law in impeaching him.
The matter is due back in court on May 5.
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