Governor Wambora, county officials to appear in court over unlawful sacking of employees

Embu Governor Martin Wambora and two other county officials are expected to appear in court on Wednesday for allegedly sacking Mr Wambora’s personal assistant and his two advisors against the law.

Employment and Labour Relations Court judge Monica Mbaru issued the orders in a case in which the sacked employees who worked for the said governor, separately sued them over unlawful sacking.

The judge ordered that the Inspector General of police should help the court to enforce and execute the warrant of arrests for governor Wambora, county secretary Josephat Ndwiga, and the secretary of the public service commission in the county, Johnson Nyaggah.

“Owing to the submissions before me, I do issue a warrant of arrest against the sued parties, the IG is hereby directed to arrest Mr Ndwiga, Mr Wambora and Mr Nyaggah and bring them before this court on February 1,” Lady Justice Mbaru said.

The governor's personal assistant Bosco Mutegi, political advisor Joshua Mugo and economic Prof. Joe Kamaria had sued the three.

They claimed that they were unlawfully removed from their positions and replaced before being given any explanation.

In case documents, Mr Mutegi claimed that he was employed in 2013 but was redeployed to serve as a liaison officer on May 2015.

He claimed that he was told his terms of service would not change owing to the transfer. However, his salary was stopped from November 2016 and now wants to be paid his accrued salary which now stands at 76, 190.

He also wants the court to issue orders stopping his replacement, interfering with his discharge of duties and termination his job.

According to Mr Mugo, he was employed from December 2013 earning a salary of Sh 120,000. But a September, 2016 reshuffle saw him replaced and his salary was also stopped from November, 2016.

He is however considering to resign as from this month hence the court directed that his case should be heard in Nyeri on February 7.

As for Prof. Kamaria, he was employed by the governor from January 2015 and earned a monthly salary of Sh 114,000 exclusive of allowances.

Through lawyer Wangoko Njoroge, they all claimed to have suffered mental anguish and having lost their source of income.

They also claimed that they have not been granted a fair hearing since they were not informed the reasons for their salaries to be stopped and need for reshuffle.

They further argued that they have been ultimately denied a right to livelihood.

However, Mr Ndwiga told court that the allegations that their salaries have been stopped is misleading.

He alleged that Mr Mutegi’s salary was stopped because he was found guilty of deserting duty and that he was even issued with a memo before the county head of payroll was directed to stop his salary.

The judge summoned the governor and his two counterparts to give a clear explanation since the three worked for him and there are no clear responses filed in court with regards to the suit.