Court Summons three Wajir County officials for Contempt in Sh4.9 million supplier debt
Crime and Justice
By
Nancy Gitonga
| Mar 02, 2026
The High Court in Garissa has issued summons against three senior Wajir County Government officials to appear before the court to explain why they should not be jailed for defying court orders to pay a supplier Sh4,910,389.88.
The summons, issued by the Deputy Registrar of the High Court, ordered the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Finance and Economic Planning, the Chief Officer for Finance and Economic Planning, and the County Secretary of Wajir County Government to appear in person on Wednesday without fail.
The three officials have been directed to appear before the court on March 4, 2026, at 9:00 AM to show cause why they should not be committed to civil jail for not honoring the court orders for payment of the decretal sum of Sh4.9 million to a private company, Galeyr Trading Company Limited.
According to court documents, the saga dates back to October 2018, when the County Government of Wajir engaged Galeyr Trading Company Limited via Tender No. WCG/QT/W/103/2018-2019 for the supply and delivery of collapsible water tanks of 10,000-litre capacity to its water department for Sh1,976,000.
The company duly performed its contractual obligations, but the county government declined to honour its payment obligations.
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A ruling by Justice John Onyiego delivered on July 17, 2025, found the county officials in contempt of court and gave them 45 days to purge the contempt; failure to which a warrant of arrest would be issued.
The court had earlier issued an order of mandamus on December 21, 2023, with a decree following on June 13, 2024, compelling the county officers jointly and severally to pay the company the decretal award of Sh3,727,357.40 together with interest and costs.
In his ruling, Justice Onyiego dismissed the county government's defence that payment had already been made.
The county officials had filed a replying affidavit through County Attorney Naemo Somo, contending that a payment of Sh1,858,620.70 was made on December 21, 2018, and attaching a Central Bank of Kenya statement to support the claim.
However, the court found this argument unconvincing.
"The central bank statement attached by the respondent is a copy not certified, hence not authenticated," the judge observed, adding that it was incumbent upon the officials to attach the Local Purchase Order and payment voucher in respect of which the alleged payment was raised.
"In the absence of any good or convincing explanation that payment has been made, this court has no option but to find that the respondents have disobeyed a lawful court order," Justice Onyiego ruled.
The court also noted that attempts to engage the Controller of Budget had yielded no results.
A letter dated June 23, 2023, written to the Controller of Budget seeking intervention over non-payment prompted a follow-up letter to the CECM Finance, Salah Adan Abdi, demanding an explanation.
"The said letter did not elicit any response or action from the respondents to date," he said.
The three officials now face potential civil imprisonment of up to six months if they fail to demonstrate compliance with the court orders when the matter comes up on March 4, 2026.