The High Court in Nairobi on Thursday, October 17 barred the Senate from debating the impeachment motion against Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja.
This was a relief for the governor who has been under siege from MCAs who kicked him out over allegations of gross misconduct.
Samboja had filed a court case that is set to be heard on October 28 after members of the county assembly passed a proposal to impeach him following protracted disagreements.
Justice Weldon Korir restrained the Senate's 11-member special committee formed on October 15 from investigating the decision by the county assembly to impeach Governor Samboja.
In the case filed by his lawyer Nelson Havi, Samboja sought conservatory orders stopping the Senate's further deliberation of the motion as recommended and forwarded by the county assembly.
On October 9, the assembly voted to impeach the governor and recommended his removal from office, citing gross violation of the law.
Deputy President William Ruto was mentioned by local leaders who claimed that he was behind Samboja's woes claiming meetings had been organised both in Nairobi and Mombasa pushing for his impeachment.
The governor and his MCAs have for long been embroiled in sharp disagreements which paralysed the implementation of the 2019/2020 budget.
This disagreement began in August 2019 when the MCAs slashed the budget allocated for the executive and set aside Ksh833 million for the Ward Development Fund.
The move angered the governor who declined to endorse the budgetary endorsements.
UPDATE: Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen later on Thursday, October 17 afternoon announced that the Senate would keep the process ongoing.
"Senate did not suspend impeachment hearings for Governor Samboja. The process is going on with strict timelines as per the Constitution and other written laws," Murkomen tweeted.
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