Beleaguered Auditor General Edward Ouko got some reprieve when parliament stopped a probe by a committee pending an appeal on a case where the High Court barred Mps from debating his removal.
Speaker Justin Muturi in ruling in response demands by Mps directed the Finance, Planning and Trade Committee to suspend the investigations pending the appeal case.
“In respecting the Court Orders, the Departmental Committee on Finance Planning and Trade continues with its suspension of the investigation of the specific grounds alleged by Emmanuel Mwagonah in his Petition to the National Assembly seeking removal of Edward Ouko from office of court stopped Parliament from debating his possible removal from office,” Muturi directed.
High Court judge Chacha Mwita issued the orders stopping the National Assembly’s committee from discussing a petition against Ouko by Mwagambo until the determination of a case filed by activist Okiya Omtatah.
He also stopped the Speaker Justin Muturi and the National Assembly from adopting or discussing any recommendations made by the committee concerning the Auditor General. “The committee is restrained from proceeding with the hearing and for avoidance of doubt, the Speaker and the National Assembly should not act on any recommendation by the committee until this court makes a finding on the issue,” ruled Chacha.
Muturi said he had instructed Parliament lawyers to appeal against the court’s decision to injunct the House as this is the avenue available in law to express disagreement with judicial findings and also to give the Court an opportunity to hierarchically express itself on the question of separation of powers with finality.
