Marsabit officials defy orders to reinstate workers

Ten officials of Marsabit County government want the county secretary and the executive committee member in charge of Public Administration and County Affairs cited for contempt of court.

Justice Nzioki wa Makau of the Labour Court in Nyeri Monday heard that the two senior staff had failed to obey orders dated March 13, 2019 stopping transfer of the officials from their working stations.

The officials, who include Ward and Sub-County Administrators, complained that the government had not revoked the transfers as ordered and that they were blocked from accessing their offices since locks were changed.

Justice Makau allowed them to file a contempt of court application within seven days while hearing of the main suit on employment was slated for May 6, 2019. The complainants sued the Governor Mohamud Ali-led government over alleged illegal transfer and demotion from work on grounds of ethnicity and political affiliation with Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani.

The officials said in court documents that they had been demoted and transferred by the County Secretary to various non-existent offices across the county.

“The petitioners transfer is actuated by malice and discrimination as they are from Gabra and Rendile communities and are perceived to be supporters of former governor (Ukur Yatani). The purported transfer is a mode of punishment which is discriminatory on the grounds of ethnic or social origin and political affiliation,” the officials’ lawyer Hashim Mohammed indicated in the petition.

The case will resume on May 6.