Kisumu County Assembly

Kisumu County Assembly speaker Onyango Oloo’s impeachment has been upheld.

Kisumu court on Tuesday morning ruled that Mr Oloo was impeached legally.

He was ordered to surrender all county property including official motor vehicles.

Court upholds impeachment of Kisumu County Speaker Onyango Oloo, orders him to surrender all county property including official motor vehicles. pic.twitter.com/3YJ4G1Twr4

— Mac Otani 🇰🇪 (@MacOtani) December 10, 2019

Kisumu County Speaker Onyango Oloo’s impeachment upheld; court orders him to surrender county property including motor vehicles.

— Ali 'Mwamvita' Manzu (@Ali_Manzu) December 10, 2019

The MCAs impeached Oloo citing an active corruption investigation at the Lake Basin Development Authority against him

Oloo in September moved to court to challenge his removal from the county assembly.

In an application filed under a Certificate of Urgency, Mr Oloo had sought six orders including stopping the county assembly from implementing a resolution to impeach him.

Oloo wanted the Labour and Employment Court to issue orders reinstating him as speaker pending the hearing and determination of his application.

The county assembly, on the other hand, had also filed a petition seeking to compel Oloo to return county assets in his possession, including a vehicle.

In his suit, Oloo claimed that his impeachment was marked by a series of breaches to the law and he wants the court to overturn the assembly’s decision.

Ousted Kisumu Speaker Onyango Oloo put up a spirited fight Tuesday afternoon in an effort to save his job.

Mr Oloo, through his advocates, presented arguments seeking to sway the Employment and Labour Court to rule in his favour even as defense lawyers urged the court to dismiss the suit.

The embattled former Speaker will know his fate on December 10 when the court delivers a verdict on his suit challenging his impeachment.

Muga Apondi and Carlos Omondi told Justice Nduma Nderi that Oloo’s rights were violated after ward representatives failed to give him ample time to respond to allegations made against him.

“Within an hour of issuance of the notice, the County Assembly met and purported to impeach him,” said Mr Apondi, adding that there was no evidence linking Oloo to theft of funds at the County Assembly.

The advocates claimed Oloo made an attempt to issue a response but was barred from accessing the County Assembly by hooligans.

But in an affidavit filed by acting Speaker Elisha Oraro, the County Assembly said Oloo’s impeachment was lawful. They said the decision was made by the House Business Committee before it was communicated to the MCAs for debate.

Oloo is seeking six orders, including one reinstating him as Speaker. He is also fighting for the reinstatement of the benefits, allowances and privileges that he enjoyed when in office.