Court allows case blocking Njiraini appointment

The new chief tax collector, Mr John Njiraini, is not yet assured of his job after a judge directed that a case challenging his appointment be continued to the end.

High Court Judge Isaac Lenaola ordered that the case instituted by a consumer lobby on Wednesday challenging Mr Njiraini’s appointment, proceed despite a decision by Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta to appoint him on Thursday.

The judge further allowed Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) to amend its petition to reflect Mr Njiraini’s appointment.

Overtaken by events

He rejected the position taken by lawyers acting for Kenya Revenue Authority and the Attorney General, who held that the case had been overtaken by events since Mr Njiraini had been appointed.

Judge Lenaola asked the parties in the case to appear for a hearing on February 9, saying he will make a ruling before March 4, when Mr Njiraini is scheduled to take office.

Cofek’s suit seeks orders to stop the KRA board from appointing a Commissioner-General.

The lobby claims that the recruitment process was non-transparent and mysterious and wants the court to order the board to repeat the process.

Similarly, in November last year, Cofek successfully stopped the Minister for Information and Communication Samuel Poghisio from appointing Mr Charles Njoroge as the CCK director.