Activist Omtatah in court to challenge appointment of poll losers to State positions

 

Activist Okiya Omtatah has filed a petition challenging state appointments of several election losers appointed to key government jobs.

In the petition filed at the High Court on Monday, Omtatah argues that the appointment of politicians Wavinya Ndeti who had contested for Machakos Governorship, Former Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambu, former governors, Joshua Irungu (Laikipia), and David Ole Nkedianye (Kajiado), were not done on a merit-based, open, competitive and fair process as stipulated by law.

The list of appointees gazette last week on Friday also includes Gonzi Rai, who lost the Kinango Parliamentary seat, former assistance minister Kalembe Ndile and Joyce Lay, former Taita Taveta Woman Representative .

According to the activist, the handpicking of the individuals to fillstate parastatal jobs was a breach of the constitution and unnecessarily locked out qualified Kenyans from these positions.

“On 4th and 8th 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,” argues Omtatah in his petition.

Omtatah wishes for the court to consider the appointments null and void.

Respondents in this case include State Corporations Advisory Committee, Public Service Commission, the National Executive and the Attorney General.