Four move to court to challenge law on appointing CASs

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

A fresh petition challenging the creation of the positions of the Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) has been filed at the High Court in Nakuru.

Nakuru surgeon Magare Gikenyi, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, Eliud Karanja Matindi and Blair Angima, in their petition, want the court to suspend the implementation of the National Government Coordination Act as amended by the National Government Administration (Amendment) Act, 2024.

The National Government Administration (Amendment) Act, 2024 came into force on May 17. Among its provisions, the Act creates the offices of the Head of Public Service and CASs as public offices and part of the national government's administrative entities.

The petitioners have named the Attorney General, Public Service Commission and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission as respondents.

Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Katiba Institute, and Law Society of Kenya have been named as interested parties.

The petitioners claim that the two offices have been introduced in contravention of the Constitution.