Moses Kuria Against Govt Officials Resigning to Join Politics

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria addressing the media on January 10, 2020
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria addressing the media on January 10, 2020
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Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria has proposed changes to the election law that requires public officers interested in political seats to resign six months before the elections.

In a statement on Thursday, January 6, Kuria, who is the party leader of Chama Cha Kazi (CCK), observed that Kenyans who were quitting their jobs to seek elective positions were taking a big gamble.

The second-term legislator added that the law should allow them to take a sabbatical and participate in the elections. The lawmaker further notes that if they win, they should relinquish their jobs and go back if they lose.

“To derisk our politics for professionals, anyone in private and public sector should get leave of duty to enable them to vie. If they win they resign. If they lose they go back to their jobs,” Kuria stated.

ODM leader Raila Odinga visiting Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria at the Karen Hospital on Tuesday, October 5
ODM leader Raila Odinga visiting Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria at the Karen Hospital on Tuesday, October 5
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He went on to explain that if things remain as they are, Kenyans should be satisfied with bad leaders whose “highest qualification is a driving license.”

As it is, public officers who are interested in elective positions in the upcoming general elections are required to resign six months to the polls.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had asked civil servants to exit office by February 9, 2022 to pursue their political interests. 

However, on January, 5, 2022, Judge Monica Mbaru of the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered that the section of the Elections Act providing for civil servants' mandatory resignation be stayed.

Employment and Labour Relations Court Judge Monica Mbaru
An undated image of Employment and Labour Relations Court Justice Monica Mbaru.
Capital Group

“That in the interim and to allow service on the IEBC and Attorney General, IEBC its agents, servants and employees are hereby restrained from barring any public officer from vying for any elective seat in the General-Election scheduled for August 9, 2022, unless they resign from office on or before the February 8, 2022, or as otherwise directed by this court,” she ordered.

Mbaru gave the order following an application by Julius Wainaina who moved to the court on December 21, seeking the suspension of the Act. 

The matter will be heard on January 24, 15 days to the February 9 deadline that IEBC had set for public officers to resign if they intended to contest.

Many public officers such as Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Chief Administrative Secretaries, parastatal chairpersons, board members and directors of state agencies have expressed interest in different political seats in the August 9 polls.

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