Court orders Biwott to pay former worker

Former Cabinet minister and chairman of the little-known National Vision Party, Mr Nicholas Biwott, has been ordered to pay his former employee Sh188,000 for breach of contract.

Mr Donald Oricho sued Mr Biwott and the party arguing that Mr Biwott had failed to pay him his dues. He has been the party’s Nairobi office caretaker.
Monthly package

Mr Oricho was hired by the political party on a five-year contract on a monthly pay of Sh18,000.

However, Mr Biwott only paid him Sh10,000 and defaulted in subsequent payments.

Mr Oricho listed Mr Biwott, the party and its national vice-chairman, Ms Benter Opande, as the respondents in the suit.

He stated that after serving at the party’s headquarters at Bharvesh Centre, on Murang’a Road between January 23 and December 2012, he was sent packing without any emoluments. He demanded salary arrears of Sh188,000.

Ms Opande agreed that Mr Oricho was engaged pursuant to the legal requirement. It was also required by law to open offices in more than 24 counties.

She said that at a meeting held on February 7, 2012, party leaders were authorised to recruit staff to manage and maintain party offices and admitted being in charge of the Nairobi office where she recruited Mr Oricho on a five-year contract.

Industrial Court Judge Mathews Nduma concurred with Mr Oricho’s submissions that there existed a valid contract between him and Mr Biwott’s party.

“I therefore find that there was a valid employment relationship between Mr Oricho and the National Vision Party upon which the claimant can lay a claim,” ruled Justice Nduma.

Consequently, the judge ordered Mr Biwott and his political party to pay Mr Oricho Sh188,000 salary arrears for the months of February to December, 2012.

He also directed that the amount be paid to Mr Oricho together with interest and cost of the suit from the date he filed the suit in 2013.