Employees file contempt of court case against governor Muthomi Njuki

Tharaka Nithi Governor has been sued by some county employees for disobeying three orders issued by Labour court last December regarding their salaries and allowances.

Thirty-nine Tharaka Nithi County employees sued the Mr Njuki alongside county secretary Njeru Kamunde, county public service board chairman Stephen Mitugo and head of human resource Alex Muratha.

EIGHT MONTHS

They want the county offices jailed for withholding their salaries and allowances for eight months.

The workers, through lawyer Davidson Ware, sued the county boss alongside county secretary Njeru Kamunde, County Public Service Board chairman Stephen Mitugo and head of human resource Alex Muratha, for disobeying three orders of the Labour Court issued in December last year.

The employees including subordinate staff, guards, agricultural officers, clinicians and health workers filed a contempt of court application Tuesday at the Labour court in Nyeri.

Davidson Warutere, the workers lawyer, said three court orders directing the county government to release the salaries and allowances of the employees were issued on diverse dates between December 7 and December 19 2017

Mr Warutere said the four senior county officials undermined the authority and dignity of the court.

The workers moved to court last year after the county questioned their qualifications and legitimacy in their various positions as county workers.

The county halted their salaries and allowances.

LIVELIHOOD

The court heard that the county subjected the employees to suffering since the monthly salaries are their source of livelihood.

In the case, the employees argued that they were recruited by the public service board in 2016 and issued with appointment letters signed by former county secretary Kenneth Kanga.

The letters indicated that their employment term was a five-year regular contract.

But the county’s human resource office said a staff audit revealed that the employees were irregularly recruited.

The county added that the claimants do not meet minimum requirements for appointment to their respective positions.

The hearing of the contempt application will be on May 17.