The political turmoil in the Isiolo County Assembly has taken a dramatic twist after the Employment and Labour Relations Court issued conservatory orders halting the removal of newly gazetted Speaker, Abdullahi Jaldesa Banticha. The ruling, delivered by Justice Hellen Wasilwa on Tuesday at Milimani, Nairobi, underscores the escalating leadership wrangles crippling the county’s legislative arm.
Justice Wasilwa barred any attempts to degazette or remove Banticha from office pending the determination of a petition he filed against the government. “In the interim, no action be taken removing or degazetting the applicant as the Speaker of the Respondent,” she ruled, emphasizing the need to preserve the status quo ahead of a scheduled inter partes hearing on July 17, 2025.
Banticha moved to court after the Assembly Clerk, Salad Guracha who had initially gazetted his appointment revoked it in a new notice on Monday. In his urgent petition, Banticha named the Government Press and the State Law Office as respondents, highlighting a deeper power struggle involving rival factions within the Assembly.
The leadership crisis stems from a failed impeachment motion against Governor Abdi Guyo, which has polarized the Assembly. Banticha replaced former Speaker Mohamed Koto, who led the contentious impeachment proceedings. The fallout has resulted in a bizarre standoff, with the Assembly now operating with two rival speakers and clerks, each claiming legitimacy.
Documents reveal that Clerk Guracha was earlier suspended by Speaker Koto but later reinstated by the court, leading to conflicting appointments and further deepening the crisis.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo has called for a comprehensive audit of the Assembly’s processes, questioning how the Government Printer published a gazette notice for a speaker elected by only two members.
As the court prepares to weigh in, residents remain hopeful for a resolution that restores stability, legitimacy, and focus on development in Isiolo County.
