Isiolo County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Roba. Photo: The Weekly Vision.
Sitting Isiolo County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Roba has blasted the newly gazetted Speaker Abdullahi Banticha, for turning the County Assembly into a house of mockery.
In a statement made by Roba on Saturday morning, Roba termed the Banticha as a fake speaker “Speaker Bonoko”, stating that a speaker cannot be elected by two Members of County Assembly (MCAs).
Banticha was gazetted by County Assembly Clerk Salad Boru, a close ally of Governor Abdi Guyo, throwing the Assembly’s leadership into a Constitutional crisis and County Assembly Act, as the Assembly has two speakers both gazetted by the National Printer.
Roba termed the appointment of Jaldesa as madness, and assured his supporters that he is still in-charge, assuring his supporters that the Assembly will continue with its sittings as scheduled next week Tuesday, with all the 16 MCAs from the county expected to attend the session.
“While Banticha and his 2 MCA’s play their games, we will proceed with our duties,” the statement read.
He further urged Assembly staff and supporters to dismiss the fraction led by Banticha, and turn up to work for their work as usual.
Roba’s statement comes after a petition has been filed by Fredrick Ogola, to block the appointment of Banticha as the new Speaker, terming his appointment as null and void, further demanding that Boru should be step aside for breaching the Constitution, County Assembly Act.
The petition argues that there was no legitimate vacancy in the Office of the Speaker since the current Speaker, Mohammed Roba Koto had neither resigned nor been lawfully removed.
Tension remains high in the county, as political infights in the assembly continue to brew, with Roba having majority of MCAs in the county, while the ‘newly’ appointed speaker backed with two MCAs.
