The High Court in Nairobi has temporarily stopped the removal from office of recently elected Isiolo County Assembly Speaker Abdullahi Jaldesa Banticha.
The reprieve comes amid political turf wars within the assembly that threaten to cripple its operations.
Justice Hellen Wasilwa of the Employment and Labour Relations Court sitting in Milimani, Nairobi, issued conservatory orders temporarily halting the removal of the recently gazetted Speaker.
The judge barred any attempts to degazette or remove Mr Banticha from office pending the hearing and determination of a petition he filed against the Government Press.
“In the interim, no action shall be taken removing or degazetting the applicant as the Speaker of the Respondent,” ruled Justice Wasilwa, maintaining that the status quo be preserved until the matter is fully heard.
Mr Banticha moved to court seeking protection after Isiolo County Assembly Clerk Salad Guracha revoked his appointment through a gazette notice published on Monday.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that the appointment of Abdullahi Jaldesa Banticha as the Speaker of the County Assembly of Isiolo and Chairman of the Isiolo County Assembly Service Board is revoked with effect from July 14, 2025,” the notice reads.
In his petition, the Speaker named the Government Press and the State Law Office as respondents.
Justice Wasilwa certified the petition as urgent and directed that it be served on all respondents ahead of an inter partes hearing scheduled for July 17, 2025.
Interestingly, Speaker Banticha was recently installed by Clerk Guracha, replacing Mohamed Koto, who had earlier presided over a contentious and ultimately unsuccessful impeachment motion against Governor Abdi Guyo.
The fallout from the impeachment attempt has left the assembly bitterly divided and politically polarised.
“The Government Printer, a very sensitive department in this country, gazetted a Speaker elected by only two members of the Assembly,” Ms. Dullo told the Senate.
The court's intervention now sheds further light on the escalating political crisis within the County Assembly, which currently has two Speakers and two Clerks.
In the leadership standoff, Speaker Koto had suspended Mr Guracha from office and appointed a temporary replacement.
However, Mr Guracha challenged his suspension in court and was reinstated, further complicating the assembly’s leadership matrix.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri overturned the decision by Mr. Koto and the Assembly Service Board to suspend the Clerk.
Justice Onesmus Makau issued a temporary order halting the suspension, pending determination of a petition filed by Mr. Guracha.
“An order is hereby granted temporarily suspending the respondent’s decision to place the applicant on compulsory leave,” ruled Justice Makau.
Mr. Guracha was suspended on June 16, 2025, over allegations of financial impropriety, absenteeism, failure to submit monthly requisitions for April and May to the Controller of Budget, and poor coordination of management meetings.
However, in his petition, he challenged the legality of the move, accusing Speaker Koto and the Board—chaired by the Speaker—of acting unlawfully and maliciously.
