Governor Roba ordered to appear in court

Mandera Governor Ali Roba during a press conferences on 9th November 2020 at Serena Hotel in Nairobi. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Mandera Governor Ali Roba and two other county officials have been ordered to appear in court today to show cause why they should not be cited for contempt.

This is after Roba, County Secretary Abdinur Maalim Hussein and Public Service Board Chairperson Ethila Mohamud failed to comply with court orders issued on January 25.

Justice Onesmus Makau of the Employment and Labour Relations Court had ordered the trio to either reinstate or pay four county officers who had been sacked by the county.

The four former employees had sued the county for wrongful dismissal and the court directed the governor to properly compute outstanding salary payable to each of them and pay them within 30 days.

However, the respondents failed to comply with the directive, forcing the three former executives and chief officer to file another case before Justice Monica Mbaru.

“The application shall be placed before the presiding judge herein, Hon. Justice Onesmus Makau on March 18, 2021,” reads the order issued by Mbaru.

The four include Abdiaziz Sheikh Maad who was the Trade and Industrialisation executive, Johora Abdi (Agriculture Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation), Shamsa Mohammed (Gender and Social Services) and Hassan Mohamed Ahmed who was Health chief officer.

Governor Roba sacked the officers in mid-February last year, accusing them of failing to advance the interests of the county government. The petitioners said they were denied access to their offices and audience with the governor. They then sued the governor, the county government and the county public service board, accusing them of violating the Constitution and the County Governments Act.

Justice Makau ruled that Roba should either reinstate the four or pay them gratuity earned up to the date of their dismissal.