Korane accused of discharging official duties despite facing graft case
By Hillary Mageka, October 6, 2020
Garissa Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane Muhumed has warned Governor Ali Korane of carrying out county duties with a pending graft case.
This is after the embattled governor held a series of meeting with elders from several sub-clans including Kuumade community and the Awlihan sub-clan of the larger Ogaden clan, some Members of the County Assembly, and holding an executive meeting.
The meeting with elders, the governor said, was part of his wider civic engagement efforts meant to enhance participatory governance and development, and foster peaceful co-existence in our county.
However, the deputy governor has come out guns blazing claiming the governor’s weekend engagement is not only unconstitutional but tantamount to violation of the bail terms.
“The said meetings were untimely and provoked reactions from some members of the public (clans). One must understand simmering tensions can set a dangerous precedent and potentially jeopardize public trust,” Dagane said in a strongly worded statement.
“I am cognizant that most of these engagements except for being divisive in nature, the resultant reactions form the public and possible related tension, they do not amount to discharging executive functions of the governor office,” he added reiterating that it’s in the governor best interest to respect the court orders and act with abundance of caution.
Korane was granted bail Sh3.2 million cash bail while his co-accused in n Sh233 million graft case were told to pay Sh1.2 million to secure their freedom.
The governor was barred from accessing office and ordered to deposit his passport with the court.