Okiya Omtatah Moves to Court Over State Appointments

Human Rights Activist Okiya Omtatah filed a case Monday morning at the Milimani Law Courts following State appointments made on February 4 and 8, 2019, by the Executive.

In his petition, Omtatah declares the appointments gazetted were not in “fair, open, competitive, merit-based and through an inclusive recruitment process.”

“On 4 and 8 February 2019, the respondents defied the said orders when they handpicked and appointed individuals to be chairpersons and members of boards of state corporations and state agencies, ”Omtatah stated.

In his petition, The National Executive, Public Service Commission, State Corporations Advisory Committee and the Attorney General have been named as respondents.

A number of those who lost during the 2017 General Election got key parastatal jobs among them former governors; Joshua Irungu (Laikipia), David Ole Nkedianye (Kajiado), former Machakos Governor aspirant Wavinya Ndeti and ex-Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambu.

Also in the list are former Taita Taveta Woman Representative Joyce Lay, Kalembe Ndile and Gonzi Rai, who lost Kinango Parliamentary seat.

The appointments in the Gazette notice were effected between February 7 and 8.

In January, Omtatah filed a petition which sought to have parliament stopped from recruiting National Cohesion and Integration Commission Commissioners.

The High Court declared the recruitment of commissioners by parliament unconstitutional.