Drama as county assembly nominee is barred from taking oath of office
Members of the public ejecting a nominee from the West Pokot county assembly precincts on September 21, 2022, claiming he was an outsider.
What you need to know:
- A scuffle broke out ahead of the swearing-in of members.
- Members of the public ejected people of the Somali origin from accessing the county assembly precincts.
- Protestors claimed the nominee was from Isiolo, and local Somalis had been been left out.
Fracas ensued at the West Pokot County Assembly on Wednesday morning after angry members of the public barred a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party nominee from being sworn into office.
A scuffle broke out ahead of the swearing-in of members, after members of the public ejected people of the Somali origin from accessing the county assembly precincts.
They denied Ahmed Desi Isaak Ali, a nominee of the Somali origin from taking oath of office, claiming he was an outsider.
He was whisked away by the police as he ran for his safety.
People from the Somali origin who had escorted their man found themselves in an awkward situation as the angry crowd shouted at them demanding that they get out of the assembly buildings.
Rowdy youths who had camped in the county assembly building ejected all non-local Somalis, as members of the public who crowded outside the county assembly chanted the names of Atute, a Somali youth they said is a local and deserved to be nominated.
"We know all the local Somali people who stay in West Pokot and they cannot bring someone from Isiolo to eat our money,” a youth, Timothy Yaoya from the minority Sengwer community said, noting that they would not allow a non-local to be sworn in.
West Pokot County Assembly building on September 21, 2022.
"We have our own Somalis and they have been left out. This is a plot to undermine the Pokot community," he said, adding that whoever proposed the rejected nominee’s name owes the local community an apology.
"He should be taken back to Isiolo. We have tried to ask him about the nearest place here but he doesn't know any,” he said.
Fredrick Kaptui Plimo, formerly the Eco pillar Teachers Sacco CEO secured the seat with 25 votes against Phillip Ambole Magal’s six in an election overseen by acting County Assembly Clerk Benedict Tororoitich.
Endough ward member of county assembly Victor Plimo Siywat was elected Deputy Speaker with 22 votes against outgoing officer holder Francis Losia Krop who garnered nine.
31 MCAs took oath of office, except one who was blocked by the members of the public.
