DNK International By Our Reporter,Garrisa.
The High Court of Kenya sitting in Garissa has summoned senior officials of the Wajir County Government to personally appear in court over the failure to allegedly pay Sh4.9 million owed to a business entity, in defiance of court orders.
Those summoned include the County Executive Committee Member for Finance and Economic Planning, Mohamed Hassan Hussein, and the County Secretary, Hillow Issack Mumin.
In orders issued by the court, the officials were directed to attend court in person on March 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. to show cause why they should not be committed to civil jail for contempt of court for failing to honour lawful orders requiring settlement of the Sh4.9 million decretal sum.
The court found that the officials were fully aware of the orders, had been properly served, and were given sufficient time to comply, but deliberately failed to do so.
The judge emphasized that compliance with court orders is mandatory and binds all persons, including public officers, regardless of their rank or position.
“You are hereby commanded to attend court in person onthe 4th of March 2026 at 9:00 am to show cause why you should not be commited to civil jail for not honouring the court orders for payment,” reads part of the document
The dispute arose from an earlier case in which the court issued directives compelling the county government to meet its financial obligations, alongside other interim orders touching on county governance and employment matters.
Evidence presented showed that the payment was not made, prompting the aggrieved party to seek contempt proceedings.
In dismissing arguments that the orders were unclear or incapable of implementation, the court noted that the respondents neither sought clarification nor applied for a stay.
The judge reiterated that dissatisfaction with court decisions must be addressed through lawful channels, not through disobedience.
“The authority of the court must be upheld at all times. Disobedience of court orders undermines the rule of law,” the judge ruled.
The officials were warned that failure to purge the contempt could attract punitive sanctions, including fines or imprisonment.
[DNK-International@March 2,2026]
