Impeached Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamoud has maintained that he will continue performing his duty as the Wajir Governor.
Mohamud, who attended Council of Governors meeting, cited a High Court directive that reinstated him in office until the case filed is determined.
“I am in office as governor of Wajir and I will continue with my work just as I have done today. The High Court said I should remain in office and that’s what I intend to do,” Mohamoud said.
This comes a day after the newly sworn-in Governor Ahmed Mukhtar reshuffled the Cabinet in the county.
He accused Mukhtar of not acting on the High Court order, which he said suspended the gazette notice on the decision by the Senate to impeach him.
The council rejected the embattled Governor’s impeachment expressing their dissatisfaction with the manner he was removed from office.
Led by the the council chairman Martin Wambora claims that the impeachment threshold is being abused and wants the Supreme Court as well as the Court of Appeal to clarify on the impeachment threshold that they say is the latest impediment to devolution.
The cabinet reshuffle brought about political tension in Wajir County remained with contingents of police officers deployed in response to former governor Mahmoud’s threats of going back to his office.
The anti-riot police officers were deployed in different locations in Wajir town; from the airport to the central business district and the county headquarters.
This, according to the security apparatus, was meant to foil any breaches and thwart any attempts by Mahmoud to return to office.
As this was happening, Mukhtar, in what looked like a reorganization of the devolution unit, conducted a reshuffle that affected five members of his executive committee.
In the reshuffle, Ibrahim Abdi Mohammed was moved to head the Finance docket from Education and Youth Affairs.
Ismail Sheikh Issak was moved from the Finance docket to Health Services; and Hussein Sugow Gedi from the Health docket to Education.
Yussuf Abdi Gedi took over the Agriculture and Livestock docket leaving the ICT and Trade office; Ahmed Sharif Bulle becomes the new ICT and Trade CEC from the Agriculture and Livestock docket.
Bare Abdulahi Idris will be in charge of the Finance and Audit docket swapping positions with Abdullahi Mohammed Hassan who will be in charge of the Manufacturing Investment and Industrial Development docket.