7 NGOs in court to block implementation of Mombasa County budget

Seven Mombasa-based non-governmental organizations have moved to court seeking to block the implementation of the 2018/2019 county budget.

This comes only a few days after the seven organizations, through their lawyer Nyange Sharia, were forced to withdraw the case after it was discovered that it was time barred.

The lawyer representing the seven organizations informed the court that when the matter was being filed, the county assembly members had already passed the budget estimation for 2018/2019.

However, the seven organizations have moved to court again through their lawyer Nyange, asking the court to stop the implementation of the budget pending hearing and determination of the application.

The NGOs claim the respondents have failed and refused to provide information regarding the budget estimates to the public for proper scrutiny and engagement.

However, Mombasa County lawyer Paul Buti dismissed the application insisting that the matter was in the public domain including in the media and wondered why it was being brought to court.

Mombasa High Court judge Erick Ogolla gave the Mombasa County Government four days to respond to the matter, after Lawyer Paul Buti told the court that he had not been served with the application on time.

The seven organizations that moved to court include the Commission for Human Rights and Justice.