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Blow to Governor Barchok as court rejects plea to block arrest
06th February, 2026 05:42 PM
The Kericho Employment and Labour Court has rejected Bomet County Governor Hillary Barchok and senior county officials’ plea to have orders issued to have them arrested and arraigned in court for contempt be set aside.
Through their lawyer, the governor and senior county officials have told the court that they will honour the court summons; thus, there is no need for them to be arrested and arraigned for contempt.
Several senior officials from the Bomet County Government and the County Public Service Board, including the governor, county secretary, senior finance and human resource officers, and members of the County Public Service Board, have been cited for contempt.
In a judgement delivered on February 29, 2024, Bomet County and its senior officials, including the governor, were found to have violated employees’ constitutional rights by issuing disguised termination letters and interfering with their terms of employment.
The court had ordered payment of salaries and benefits in the next 30 days, and despite these orders, the respondents failed to comply and continued their demands, even after the Court of Appeal 029-2024 directed the maintenance of the status quo, arguing that the Court of Appeal in the same Exhibit 84-2024 dismissed the appeal filed by Bomet County.
Governor moving to court
The Kenya County Government Workers Union moved to court seeking orders summoning the officers to appear before court to show cause why they had failed to comply with various court orders issued between October 2022 and May 2024.
The court found that their contempt application by the union dated August 4, 2025, was merited and proceeded and ordered that all cited officials appear before it on February 26, 2026, accompanied by the Officer Commanding Bomet Police Station.
Appearing before Lady Justice Anna Mwaure on Friday, February 6, 2026, the Bomet County lawyer has told the court that there is no need for the Kericho Officer Commanding Bomet Police Station (OCS) to arrest them and the others, promising to avail themselves in court.
“My lady, we intend to come to court in the event I get instructions. We will be coming to court on February 26, 2026, and we don’t need to be arrested; we will be coming to court personally, my lady,” the lawyer pleaded with the court.
Further, the Bomet County Counsel also asked the court for additional time of up to 90 days to comply with the court’s orders, noting changes in personnel within the county’s human resource department, and also requested leave to appeal the ruling.
Lawyer James Oketch and Cecilia Somba, representing the Union, vehemently opposed the county’s request, arguing that they have had all the time since February 2024 to comply with the judgement.
“My lady, this contempt application arises from a decision which was delivered two years ago, and in those two years the respondents (Bomet County and the Public Service Board of Bomet) have never made any attempts to comply with the judgement,” lawyer Oketch told the court.
Plea rejected
In his ruling Justice Anne Mwaure has rejected the Bomet County applications and ordered the condemners to appear before court either by themselves or be brought to court by the OCS as earlier ordered.
“The court will stand by its ruling and will expect the contemnors to either appear or be brought to court by the OCS on February 26, 2026,” Justice Mwaure ruled.
Failure to appear in court on February 26, 2026, puts Governor Barchok and the other senior county officials at risk of being committed to civil jail for a maximum period of six months for contempt of court orders,” part of the application reads.
