Another High Court bombshell for Uhuru

From left: Justices Chacha Mwita, Jessie Lessit and Lucy Njuguna reading a judgment in a petition that was challenging the appointment of 128 State Corporations heads and board members at Milimani law courts in Nairobi, on Thursday, May 27 2021 [David Njaaga,Standard]

A total of 128 senior parastatal chiefs hired by President Uhuru Kenyatta in June 2018 were yesterday sent home by the High Court a few days before expiry of their three-year terms.

In yet another verdict faulting the Head of State for failing to follow the law, Justices Jessie Lesiit, Chacha Mwita and Lucy Njuguna concluded that although the President had powers to do the appointments, the process was flawed as they were not subjected to competitive recruitment.

The litigants, Katiba Institute in the case challenging the appointment, had argued that the recruitment was based on patronage. The ruling, however, comes a few days after a good number of the appointees exhausted their three years terms with a few others leaving next week.