Marsabit Women Rep. Safia Adan Taken to Court for Allegedly Holding US, Ethiopian Citizenships

Marsabit Woman Representative Safia Sheikh Adan could lose her seat should the court find that she illegally vied for the post.

In a case lodged by voter Yahya Mohammed Hassan, the petitioner claims that Safia run for the seat in breach of the law since she is a citizen of more than one country.

Yahya alleges that the Woman Representative is a citizen of three countries; Ethiopia, Kenya and the United States.

The petitioner wants the court to declared the seat vacant and order Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to conduct fresh elections in the County.

“An order of Mandamus issued to IEBC to declare the seat of Woman Rep Marsabit County as vacant and call for fresh elections to enable the people of Marsabit elect a credible, trustworthy and reliable representative” the petition reads.

Hassan further wants the court to declare Safia ineligible to hold the Woman Representative seat and any other state office.

He further argues that the Woman Rep seats in the National Assembly and under the privileges of the House she gets access to intelligence and other confidential reports that relate to Kenya while she owes her allegiance to Ethiopia and the USA.

Hassan who claims that Safia was born in Ethiopia also says that she has never renounced or relinquished her foreign citizenship.

He says the Woman Representative's US passport issued to her on January 2012 confirms that she is an Ethiopian.