Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo will face the Senate in a plenary impeachment hearing next week, as a court battle over the legality of his removal by the County Assembly continues to unfold.

The Senate scheduled a two-day session for July 8 and 9, 2025, after a failed attempt to establish a special committee to probe the matter. The case now heads to a full House hearing, even as a High Court order declaring the impeachment null and void remains active.

The Senate’s decision follows the rejection of a motion by Majority Whip Boni Khalwale to form an 11-member special committee.

The motion was opposed by Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo, who had been expected to second it but instead declined to support it.

“The motion having been negatived, the route of a special committee is abandoned and that implies that the Senate will investigate the proposed removal from office of Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo by way of impeachment in plenary,” said Senate Speaker Amason Kingi. He confirmed that the hearing will be conducted in plenary on July 8 and 9.

Parties to the impeachment have until Friday, June 27, to submit their responses to the Senate Clerk, who will circulate the documents and hearing programme by July 7.

However, legal questions continue to loom large.

Isiolo High Court Judge Heston Nyaga had declared the impeachment proceedings null and void, maintaining that the conservatory orders issued on June 16 barring the assembly from debating or prosecuting the motion remain in force.

“Those orders shall remain in force until they are set aside or reviewed either by this court or another court or the Court of Appeal,” ruled Justice Nyaga.

He further warned that any actions taken in defiance of the orders are null and void. The court also summoned County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Roba to appear in person on June 30 for allegedly acting in contempt of court.

Despite the court order, 16 out of 18 MCAs convened last Thursday and voted unanimously to impeach the governor.

The governor denied receiving any formal invitation to respond to the charges.

The assembly is accused of introducing a new impeachment motion on June 18, in what appears to be an attempt to circumvent the court’s restrictions on the initial motion filed on June 10.

It has also emerged that the MCAs allegedly failed to sit in official chambers or gazette a new venue for their session.

“If they sat in the chamber in Isiolo, then they should produce video clips showing the withdrawal of the initial motion, introduction of a new one, the debate and the decision to invite the governor to defend himself,” said a source familiar with the issue.

Governor Guyo has filed a petition against the County Assembly, the Speaker and the Clerk, securing fresh court orders on the motion dated June 18.

His lawyers Eric Theuri and Elias Mutuma have also filed a contempt of court application, accusing the Speaker and Clerk of defying the court’s directives. Justice Nyaga summoned them to appear before the court on June 30, after their lawyers, led by Dr Ekuru Aukot, failed to respond to questions on compliance with court orders.

The governor is facing three charges: gross violation of the Constitution and other laws, abuse of office, and gross misconduct.

The first charge includes failure to deliver the state of the county address for three years, hiring 36 advisors and 31 chief officers against six departments and two deputy county secretaries — positions not recognised in law — inflating the county wage bill to 46 percent, and creating offices without the involvement of the County Public Service Board.

He is also accused of failing to control county public debt and mismanaging bursary funds, with Sh30 million unaccounted for.

The second charge accuses him of appointing officials outside the approved establishment, creating job insecurity with two-year contracts, and failing to renew contracts of County Executive Committee members, leading to service delivery disruptions.

Under gross misconduct, the governor is accused of making disrespectful and sexist public remarks against Senator Fatuma Dullo, breaching leadership and integrity principles, and causing gender-based psychological violence.

He is also alleged to have made divisive remarks targeting certain clans in Isiolo, eroding public trust, and operating the county remotely from Nairobi, stalling development and services.

Despite the court ruling, the Assembly insists its actions are legal and based on public accountability. It submitted the impeachment resolution to the Senate on June 27, triggering the current process.