Ten Judiciary employees sue JSC, CJ over salary cuts

By Faith Ronoh

NAIROBI, KENYA: Ten judiciary employees who work in the former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Gladys Shollei’s office have moved to court to sue the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and Chief Justice Willy Mutunga over what they termed as harassment, victimisation and discrimination.

In court papers filed at the Industrial Court yesterday, the staff claim to have become victims of a “purge against those perceived to have been close to the former chief registrar.”

What seems to have precipitated the court action is the move by the JSC to arbitrarily demote them and slash their salaries by up to 70 per cent in some instances.

Through Lawyer Boniface Munyao, the ten argued: “The latest move by the JSC to reduce salaries of a section of employees by 50-70 per cent is manifestly unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful, discriminatory and amounts to collective punishment of those found in the cross fire of the tussle between Shollei and the JSC.”

ready and willing to serve

Munyao argued that the actions of the JSC violate his clients’ rights to fair labour practices, fair administrative action and their rights under the employment laws and the Constitution.

The staff argue that they were hired to render their services to a constitutional office that has not been abolished and for which there is now a substantive office holder and that as professionals, they remain ready and willing to serve irrespective of who holds the Office of Chief Registrar.