The High Court on Friday issued conservatory orders stopping the newly appointed Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs) from assuming office.
High Court Judge Justice Hedwig Ong'udi made the ruling following a petition filed by the Law Society of Kenya and Katiba Institute to challenge the legality of the appointments.
Consequently, the 50 CASs were barred from performing their duties or enjoying the entitlements of the positions, including drawing salaries, until the case filed by the LSK is heard and determined.
"Having read through the annexures, I am satisfied that interim conservatory orders are necessary," the judge ruled in response to the petition by LSK.
Further, the judge ordered LSK to serve interested parties, including the Attorney General, with the petition for their replies.
The case was certified urgent with its hearing date set for Tuesday, March 28, at 12 noon.
The new ruling was issued just a day after President William Ruto attended a colourful swearing-in ceremony of the 50 CASs including Milicent Omanga and Cate Waruguru who were appointed to the dockets of Interior Affairs and Foreign Affairs respectively.
President Ruto made the appointments after securing a go-ahead from National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula on Thursday earlier in the week.
However, the appointments sparked a debate as Kenyans from various quarters aired their reservations regarding the constitutionality of the appointments.
The bone of contention in the appointments was the decision by President Ruto to increase the number of CASs to 50 as opposed to the 23 that the Pubic Service Commission sought.
"The President should reconsider the 50 CAS he nominated. He needs to reduce the nominees to the 23 vacancies his office sought from the Public Service Commission," a Twitter user opined.
On Friday, March 24, the CASs sparked yet another debate after reports stating that the Salaries ad Remuneration Commission (SRC) had revised their salaries upwards to Ksh780,000 per month.
