Rigoma Member of County Assembly (MCA) Nyambega Gisesa has filed a petition at the Environment and Lands Court of Kenya in Nyamira seeking to have Kisii Governor Simba Arati arrested for contempt of court.
In the court documents seen by Kenyans.co.ke on Monday, March 4, Gisesa also sought to have the acting County Secretary and Head of Public Service in the County Government of Kisii Robert Ombasa arrested for the same reasons.
Gisesa asked the court to order the arrest of the two and jail them for a period which the court sees fit.
According to the MCA, the two defied a ruling made on February 15, 2024, that declared that Keroka Town was within Nyamira County, barring Kisii County officers from collecting revenue in the area.
"Despite the court delivering a judgement on February 15 2024, compelling each county to operate within its territories, the officers of Kisii County Government continue collecting the revenue along the area belonging to Nyamira County at Keroka Town," Gisesa stated.
In the ruling, the County Government of Kisii was ordered to stop collecting revenues from the town asking the county officials to ensure they remain in their respective territories.
However, Gisesa noted that on February 22, the officials disobeyed the orders and continued to collect revenue from traders in the contested area.
Gisesa added that on March 1, the Governor issued umbrellas branded 'Governor Kisii County Simba Arati' in Keroka Town. This was another violation of the ruling made.
"The actions of the Governor Paul Simba Arati were interpreted to mean that he was still claiming that the aforementioned area was within Kisii County territory as later he redeployed the Kisii County Government enforcement officers to the area belonging to Nyamira County," the MCA added.
On Sunday, March 3, Arati is also said to redeployed enforcement officers in Keroka Town who reportedly disrupted the business and blocked officials from Nyamira County from collecting revenue.
Meanwhile, according to one of the traders at the contested town, he among others was subjected to double taxation from both counties. The shoe-shiner noted he was shocked after seeing officials collecting market cess despite the ruling.
He was allegedly harassed and paid Ksh50 to the Kisii County officials and was later forced to pay the same amount to officials from Nyamira.
"On March 3 2024, the peace in the town was disrupted, when the enforcement officers from Kisii County came and occupied the disputed area, locking out the Revenue collection officers from Nyamira County," the trader explianed.
