There was drama at Embu County Assembly when a court process server entered to serve a court order that had been issued by Embu High Court barring the immediate former Speaker Josiah Thiriku from being cleared to contest for the Speaker position.
In what left many amused, the assembly staff who were at the premises ran in different directions into hiding for fear of receiving the court order.
Justus Githinji, the court server, had gone to drop the court order to the assembly only to be met by the drama.
Even senior officers went into hiding forcing Githinji to pin the order at the doors of various offices within the assembly including that of the clerk and the chamber reception.
Githinji had to pin some court orders on the door of the clerk's office and left others at the reception of county assembly chambers.
He later addressed the media.
"I believe I have served them (the assembly) despite keeping me here for long and despite the fact that everyone ran away from me. No one was ready to receive the document,” Githinji said.
Interestingly, only five out of 30 MCAs showed up for today’s (Tuesday, September 20, 2022) induction ahead of tomorrow’s swearing-in ceremony and election of the House’s Speaker.
The ones who were absent are alleged to be locked in a meeting at a Nairobi hotel with one of the Speaker candidates. It’s said the candidate is wooing the MCAs to vote for him tomorrow.
The temporary injunction had been issued by judge Lucy citing a violation of Elections Act. It blocks the clerk of the County Assembly and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission from clearing Thiriku to contest for the seat.
In the application filed by James Gitonga Mutabi, the petitioner cites that the former speaker has integrity questions and is thus unworthy to contest.
He urged that Thiriku violated section 43(5) of Election Act that requires all public servants to resign six months before election.
"That a temporary injunction be and is hereby issued barring the 2nd respondent (Josiah Thiriku), its agents, assistants, and or representatives from including the name of the first Respondent in the ballot to contest in the election for the position of the speaker of county assembly of Embu of 21st September 2022 pending the hearing and determination of the petition herein,” part of the order read.
The inter-party hearing for the matter is set for Thursday, September 22, 2022.
The contest for the Embu County Assembly Speaker seat is pitting lawyer Daniel Kamunda and Josiah Thiriku.
