A government parastatal CEO was fired after a court ruled that he falsified his date of birth to avoid early retirement.
Tana and Athi River Development Authority (Tarda) CEO Steven Githaiga Ruimuku was accused of altering his birth date and name on national identification documents.
Ruimuku was appointed the CEO of the government parastatal on June 15, 2015, and was to serve for three years only.
The government renewed his term in March 2018, sparking an uproar over his age and the decision to allow him to stay in office.
The Union of Kenya Civil Servants argued that his passport indicated that he was born on October 20, 1958, as Rumuiku Steven Githaiga, whereas his ID indicated that he was born in 1953 as Stephen Maina Githaiga. The ID was issued in April 2011.
The CEO differed stating that his passport, identity card, birth certificate, baptismal card and police clearance certificates indicated the date of birth as October 20, 1958.
He denied knowledge of the identity card filed as evidence by the union. However, he failed to ascertain or defend the change of names.
“The court is satisfied that the 4th Respondent was in breach of the values and principles of public service as well as the requirements on code of conduct and ethics by causing to be employed by the Authority, persons related to him.
"The recommendation by the Authority in 2018 for the appointment and/or renewal of the contract of Ruimuku, and the renewal of contract by the government was founded upon an obvious breach of the guiding norms and cannot be allowed to stand," Employment and Labour Court's Judge, Stephen Radido ruled and declared the CEO unfit to hold office.
On September 10, the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission had asked the board of Tana River Development Authority (Tarda) to suspend the CEO after he was accused of falsifying his age.
