A High Court on Monday blocked recent parastatal appointments made by President Uhuru Kenyatta following a petition by two lobby groups.
The two non-governmental organizations; Katiba Institute and Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) moved to court to challenge the legality of the appointments.
In the orders, the court stated; "Pending the hearing and determination of the application, [an order is issued] restraining persons appointed to the various positions via Gazette Notice from assuming office, continuing in or in any other way performing their functions."
The lobby groups argued that the appointments were unconstitutional as there was no advertisement for the positions - neither were the officials interviewed.
[caption caption="Prof Yash Pal Ghai (sitting, second from left), who is the director of Katiba Institute, with other civil society leaders in Mombasa on January 31, 2017"]
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“There is nothing on record that [shows] that those appointed to the various positions are competent," the petition documents read.
In April, President Uhuru announced appointments in key parastatals that saw a majority of board chairs renewed.
Among those gazetted were Hannah Waitherero Muriithi, a former insurance manager and advocate of the High Court, who was picked to chair the National Hospital Insurance Fund for three years.
Former PS Mutea Iringo was appointed as the Chair of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
Former Machakos county assembly speaker Bernard Muteti Mung’ata was appointed the chair of the Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC).
Earlier in March, the president appointed five members of the Former Cabinet Secretary Simeon Nyachae family to top positions in various parastatals.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta"]
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