Tunai lawyers unable to serve court papers on rivals in fluid Narok
Narok governor Samuel Tunai (right) with MP Lemanken Aramat arrive in a procession at Suswa for a political rally on February 12, 2015. His lawyers have said they have been unable to serve five anti-Tunai leaders with court injunctions. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The judge told Mr Biko to file a formal application to tender service via advertisements in the newspapers.
- Justice Mshila also extended ex-parte orders barring Senator Stephen ole Ntutu and five MPs from planning meetings to seek Mr Tunai’s ouster.
- Mr Biko said events in Narok had gone from bad to worse with two lives lost during protests in the town that saw all activities paralysed as the leaders demanded that Mr Tunai step down.
- The applicants say the leaders’ actions have made Narok ungovernable, adversely affecting service delivery to residents — who have been sucked into the fray.
Lawyers representing Narok Governor Samuel Tunai and 1,042 people have failed to serve five anti-Tunai leaders with court injunctions.
Lawyer Steve Biko told Lady Justice Abigail Mshila that Narok had become so insecure that it was impossible to serve Narok Senator Stephen ole Ntutu and four MPs with summons for an inter-parte hearing.
The civil suit seeks to halt mass protests demanding Mr Tunai’s ouster.
The judge told Mr Biko to file a formal application to tender service via advertisements in the newspapers.
The case was set for hearing on June 30.
Justice Mshila also extended ex-parte orders barring Senator Stephen ole Ntutu, MPs Patrick Keturet ole Ntutu (Narok West), Moitalel ole Kenta (Narok North), Korei ole Lemein (Narok South), Johana Ng’eno (Emurua Dikirr), Julius Sunkuli (former Cabinet minister), former Mau Forest Restoration Taskforce member Joseph ole Karia and politician Ledama ole Kina from planning meetings to seek Mr Tunai’s ouster.
ACTIVITIES PARALYSED
Mr Biko said events in Narok had gone from bad to worse with two lives lost during protests in the town that saw all activities paralysed as the leaders demanded that Mr Tunai step down.
Saying Mr Tunai won the last polls by a landslide, trouncing six rivals and obtaining 88,000 votes against his closest rival’s 55,000 votes of a total 255,000, the applicants claim the leaders have shown utter disregard for the law.
The suit has since been declared urgent after Ms Caroline Sopiata and other applicants moved to court seeking protection, saying the leaders — mainly from the Purko clan — were hell-bent on having the governor ousted for alleged misuse of council resources.
The order, which is yet to take effect for lack of service, further bars the leaders from urging residents to stage a sit-in at the county government’s chambers.
The applicants say the leaders’ actions have made Narok ungovernable, adversely affecting service delivery to residents — who have been sucked into the fray.
They said that the leaders had ignored the lawful means of seeking a governor’s ejection from office but had opted for the crude method of seeking a people’s revolt where residents attend meetings while armed to the teeth.
They state that the ‘Tunai-Must-Go’ proponents had organised a meeting on November 24, 2014 where they launched the onslaught seeking the forceful ejection of Mr Tunai from office.
