We are all equal in the eyes of the law

Daisy Cherogony, 37, was allegedly fired for asking Education CS Fred Matiang'i to queue for security check at JKIA. [Photo Courtesy]

A lady who works or should I say worked at the airport is jobless because she insisted that a Cabinet Secretary queue at the check in line. 

Just like everyone else.  Yes folks, believe it or not.

Her suspension letter read, and I quote “You embarrassed the Cabinet Secretary by requiring him to line up for security check up when he came to the airport” and it gets even more ridiculous.

The letter goes on to say that “You are hereby suspended from duty with immediate effect to pave way for further investigations”

Investigations? To determine what exactly? How she followed the rules to the letter? How she ensured that everyone boarding that plane was safe to do so? How she treated all Kenyans equally? Or worse still, that she actually dared to follow the rules?  

Then came the letter inviting her to her disciplinary hearing which reads in part, that she will answer to the charges of humiliating and mistreating the Cabinet Secretary by requiring him to line up which almost led him to miss his flight.

Weren’t there others on this flight too? Or was it just okay for these nameless ordinary mortals to miss their flights just as long as the minister was the first to enter the plane?

This is the sort of thing that makes me sad about this country. May be this is why our progress is painstakingly slow.

Did we not learn anything from the Nancy Baraza case? Surely we are all equal, in the eyes of the law, in the eyes of security.

To attempt to put some people on a pedestal is totally unacceptable.  

To suspend a faithful public servant for simply applying the rules uniformly is even more bizarre.

This incident took place back in April and I understand the lady is now going to court over her suspension.

Neither do I know the arguments she will be making in court nor do I want to second guess the judges, but this saga is just plain wrong on so many levels.

I can bet that this lady may have been inspired by people like Dr Matiang’i himself who rose to national fame for simply insisting on everyone following the rules in national exams.

This particular CS has preached humility and service and not too long ago many Kenyans were pleading with him to run for presidency based on the sweeping changes he made in the education sector.

The CS has denied that the incident ever took place.

If that is the case, I hope he will move with dispatch to speak to whoever fabricated the story to give the good lady her job back and perhaps give her a promotion while at it.