County to pay sacked officials Sh4m each
Deputy President William Ruto (left) with Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto during an Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) meeting at the DP's Karen office on August 15, 2016. A Nakuru court ordered that two sacked Bomet county officials be paid Sh4 million each for unlawful termination. PHOTO | DPPS
What you need to know:
- The Labour court directed the governor to pay Ms Patricia Lasoi and Ms Elizabeth Langat who were sacked on claims of fund abuse and non-performance.
- The officials also accused Governor Ruto of misusing state powers in sacking them on grounds that they were not useful to the county politically.
Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has suffered a blow in a dispute over sackings.
A Nakuru court ordered that two sacked county officials be paid Sh4 million each for unlawful sacking.
The Labour court directed the governor to pay Ms Patricia Lasoi and Ms Elizabeth Langat who were sacked on claims of fund abuse and non-performance.
The judge said the dismissal of the two did not follow due process.
“The Governor Ruto failed to explore all the avenues before sacking the duo. He erred in law to send the two officials packing without fair hearing,” noted Justice Radido during the judgement.
The two were sacked on allegations of non-performance and misappropriation of county funds.
They had, in April 2016, moved to court seeking to block the county government from filling their offices until the matter was determined by court, and the court ruled in their favour.
According to their lawyer Mr Kipkoech Ngetich, their removal from the office on account of non-performance was unconstitutional and malicious as the two were the most hardworking in the county government.
“My clients’ sacking was unjustified and I request the court to consider compensation as their rights were infringed besides being reinstated,” he earlier told the court.
The court also heard that the Governor had previously demanded that the CECs resign from their dockets before he offered them other posts in the county administration, which they declined, leading to their indefinite dismissal.
Mr Ngetich told the court that the petitioners were given show cause letters barely hours before a press briefing that announced their removal from office, limiting them to respond fully on the allegations, which he termed as vague and misguided.
The officials also accused Governor Ruto of misusing state powers in sacking them on grounds that they were not useful to the county politically.
They had appealed to the court to compel the county government to pay them damages and compensation in their unfair dismissal from office.
