Court allows new Kenya Pipeline MD to assume office

The leadership vacuum at Kenya Pipeline Company came to an end after the employment court dismissed a case challenging the appointment of a new managing director.

Lady Justice Maureen Onyango ruled that former Total Kenya’s director of strategy Macharia Irungu was duly appointed KPC boss in December last year after emerging top candidate in interviews conducted by the board.

“I find that the interviews for KPC Managing Director followed the right procedure. No candidate was given preferential treatment and any person who was discontent with the process should have sought to be given information leading to the appointment,” ruled Onyango.

Mr Irungu’s appointment was temporarily stopped on December 10 pending determination of the suit filed by activist Okiya Omtatah.

No prove

His predecessor, Hudson Andambi’s contract expired on January 2, meaning the KPC top leadership has been operating in a vacuum without a substantive managing director.

Justice Onyango ruled that the activist did not provide sufficient evidence to prove the recruitment process was marred with irregularities or whether the KPC board was not properly constituted to conduct the process.

“The applicant failed to prove that the board members were tribal by appointing a person from a certain community. Even if five out of nine members of the board were from the same tribe as claimed by the activist, there is no prove they influenced the MD’s appointment,” ruled Onyango.

On claims there was no public participation in Mr Irungu’s appointment, the judge ruled that KPC board made several newspaper advertisements and on their website calling for application which gave any member of the public opportunity to air their views.

Omtatah argued in his application that the recruitment process was not transparent and accountable since no list of applicants was advertised or publicised.