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Kidero team clashes with MCAs over City Hall access

By BRIAN WASUNA February 15th, 2017 2 min read

The Evans Kidero-led Nairobi County government is entangled in a court fight with the County Assembly over use of part of the City Hall building

The county government has sued the County Assembly for locking it out of the northern wing of City Hall.

It wants the High Court to quash a gazette notice issued by the County Assembly in September last year, which repossessed the first five floors and basement of City Hall’s northern wing.

The disputed space houses the county government’s ratings and audit departments.

The County Assembly holds that it has been the legal occupant of the first five floors of the northern wing since the introduction of the devolved government system, and that the gazette notice simply rubberstamped its status.

Nairobi County claims that the County Assembly has barricaded the disputed space and barred its staff from accessing the area in violation of Justice George Odunga’s orders.

UNHINDERED ACCESS

But the County Assembly holds that the ratings and audit departments had agreed to vacate the premises, and that it still grants their staff unhindered access to the space at the centre of the battle.

Justice Odunga has issued a temporary order suspending implementation of the disputed gazette notice until the suit has been determined.

“Following the grant of orders stated herein above, the County Assembly was served with the said court order and they acknowledged receipt.”

“However, despite the said service, the clerk and speaker of the County Assembly proceeded to erect a wall at the entrance of the 4th floor of the north wing barring staff from the ratings department from accessing their offices, which act showed utter disdain for court orders and judicial processes,” said Robert Ayisi, Nairobi County secretary.

The ratings department had by October last year moved out of its fourth floor offices to make way for ongoing renovations.