Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo nominates three new CECs

Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo has nominated three new County Executive Committee Members (CECMs), just two months after surviving an impeachment bid at the Senate.

In a statement on Tuesday, Governor Guyo named Luqman Ahmed as CECM for Finance and Economic Planning; Hussein Jirmo Katelo as CECM for Lands, Transport, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, Urban Planning and Municipal Services; and Guracha Kikuyu as CECM for Water, Environment, Climate Change, Mining and Natural Resources.

“In accordance with the provisions of the County Governments Act, 2012, and the Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act, their names have been formally submitted to the County Assembly of Isiolo for vetting, consideration, and approval,” County Spokesperson Ali Edin said.

The appointments come in the wake of Governor Guyo’s political lifeline in July, when the Senate rejected an impeachment motion passed by the Isiolo County Assembly.

During the heated session on July 9, 2025, 31 Senators voted to uphold Guyo’s objection against 12, after he challenged whether the Assembly had legally convened to debate and pass the ouster motion.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, while ruling on the matter, warned the Governor against taking the victory as a free pass, cautioning him to rebuild ties with local legislators.

“This is not a win, and the Senate does not expect you to go out there chest-thumping. This is a postponement of your case. Depending on how you are going to carry yourself going forward that case may never be heard or may be back here in a matter of days. It’s up to you,” Kingi said.

“Clearly there are cracks in the walls of Isiolo County. If I were you, I’d go mend those cracks. You need to have a sitting with your Senator even if it’s through a third party. You need to mend your relationship with the County Assembly.”

The Isiolo County Assembly had accused Governor Guyo of gross misconduct, abuse of office, stalling major development projects, failing to achieve revenue targets, and bloating his administration with dozens of advisors and chief officers.

He is said to have appointed 36 advisors and 31 chief officers, despite Isiolo County receiving the third-lowest revenue allocation nationally.

In addition, Guyo was accused of issuing short-term, two-year contracts to chief officers, a move the County Assembly argued created an "environment of fear and uncertainty."

The impeachment motion moved forward despite a court order prohibiting the Assembly from proceeding with the process.

Guyo has also recently come under the radar of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who ordered his arrest over alleged involvement in kidnapping and robbery with violence.

In a statement released on Friday, the DPP said the move follows a comprehensive review of an inquiry file submitted by the DCI Kiyumbi office to the ODPP Machakos County and later referred to the headquarters in Nairobi due to its significant public interest.

The statement detailed that on the day of the incident, former Isiolo County Chief Officer of Health, Abdirahaman Mohamed, and 15 Members of County Assembly allied to the Governor’s impeachment camp were at Outbark Hotel in Maanzoni, Machakos County.

Governor Guyo and his supporters allegedly stormed the venue, where, acting on his instructions, they forcibly disarmed and attacked Abdirahaman before bundling him into a vehicle and kidnapping him.

The county boss has however denied being at the scene of the crime, terming the directive mere political witch-hunt.

The Kiambu High Court has since granted Governor Guyo orders barring anybody from arresting, harassing or charging him pending the hearing and determination of his application.