www.Kisii.Com: Syndicated news from only reputable sources [Nation, and Standard Newspapers, Kenya Times, KBC, etc.]

Bid to block Kisii council elections dismissed

Details

Published on Sunday, 31 July 2011 00:41

A court yesterday dismissed an application seeking to stop the Kisii County Council AGM and mayoral polls. Kisii senior principal magistrate Valentine Wandera said the application by deputy mayor Patrick Siro must have shown a prima facie case with a probability to succeed. “I do not find any provision in the Local government ACT where it is provided that the chairman and his deputy will not convene an AGM,” Wandera said in his ruling.

Siro had sued town clerk William Chepkwony, the local authority and the Ministry of Local government as first, second and third respondents respectively. In his application, Siro wanted Chepkwony and the ministry officials barred from holding the AGM arguing it infringed his rights and that of mayor Samuel Nyangeso.

Through his lawyer Gideon Nyambati, Siro said it is Nyangeso who is lawfully allowed to chair the meeting before new elections for mayor and chairmen of various committees. The magistrate noted that under Section 73 of Cap 265 of the Local Authority, the chairman may call a special meeting but not the AGM. He ruled that “in the upshot I find the application unmerited and therefore dismiss it,”. Wandera ordered Chepkwony to issue a fresh notice calling for an AGM in compliance with the provisions of the local government ACT.