Senate summons Joho over row with MCAs

Mombasa County Speaker Aharub Khatri (right) during happier times with governor Ali Hassan Joho on January 20, 2018. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The two leaders will appear before the Senate Committee on Devolution.

  • Fourteen ward representatives are among those pushing for the removal of Mr Tawfiq Balala from office over “incompetence”.

  • Mr Joho has promised to protect his ally from the impeachment.

The Senate has summoned Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and County Speaker Aharub Khatri over recent wars pitting the executive and the assembly.

This comes as Orange Democratic Movement called for a meeting in Nairobi with 14 members of the county assembly on Tuesday when the Mombasa County Assembly is to discuss a motion to impeach Transport minister Tawfiq Balala.

County Communication Director Richard Chacha confirmed to the Nation on the summons saying "the governor will appear before the senate at 11am and the Speaker later in the afternoon''. 

The two leaders will appear before the Senate Committee on Devolution.

Last week, Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki said the senate is probing leadership wrangles following Mr Joho’s threat to his Cabinet in a move meant to deal with errant MCAs.

Fourteen ward representatives are among those pushing for the removal of Mr Balala from office over “incompetence”.

But the senate had asked members of the Mombasa County Assembly to suspend impeachment threats against the embattled minister, who is a close ally of Mr Joho.

Mr Joho has promised to protect his ally from the impeachment.