Council defies court order barring poll

By Victor Nzuma

A scuffle erupted on Monday morning t the Masaku County Council offices following an attempt to block the civic body’s elections.

Trouble started when a court server, Ms Catherine Wambua, arrived at the council’s main gate and sought permission to access the offices to serve the order but was restrained from doing so by a guard.

But as the outgoing chairman was arriving, he was served with the order.

However, efforts to serve Council Clerk Felix Mbiuku, proved an exercise in futility because he was nowhere to be found.

Moments later, a group of councillors arrived and threw out the court server, telling her that they had no business with the order.

Fearing for her safety, Ms Wambua did not resist as the councillors frog-marched her from the council premises.

The court order had been filed by a number of councillors led by Judah Mumo.

The civic leaders wanted the elections cancelled, arguing that some of them had not been issued with notices at the right time as required by the law.

 

Elected unopposed

Ten minutes after the court server had been thrown out, the clerk arrived and hurriedly proceeded to chambers where 29 councillors from a total of number of 45 civil leaders had converged.

After declaring that the councillors qualified for a forum, the clerk went ahead and conducted the elections in the absence of some of the councillors allied to the former chairman, Mr Stanley Mang’eli.

Mr Mang’eli later entered the chambers and sat quietly as he watched the elections without uttering a word. He declined to comment on the proceedings.

Mr Christopher Muindu, was elected the new chairman while Shadrack Musyoki was elected vice chairman. They were both unopposed.

The following were also elected chairmen of various standing committees: Mr Joshua Mwonga (Finance), Mr Ndolo Wambua (Staff), Mr Benjamin Muinde (Works and Projects), Mr Alfonse Wambua (Marketing and Town Planning), Mr Peter Mutevu (Housing and Education), Ms Margaret Mbithi (Gender, Sports and Social Services), Ms Jackline Nzivo (Environment), Mr Justus Muvea (Audit), and Mr Kyalo Kyuli (HIV/Aids and Public Health).

The new chairman promised to deliver and urged his fellow chairmen and other members to team up and raise the council’s standards.

Later, councillors allied to Mang’eli dismissed the elections saying it violated the court order and vowed to pursue the suit until justice is served.