Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruyo has been barred from revoking the appointment of Captain Paul Rukaria as the chairperson of the Kenya National Trading Corporation.
The Nairobi Labour and Employment Court ruled that pending the hearing of a suit filed by Rukaria, a gazette notice that revoked his appointment be set aside.
“That pending hearing of the application inter parties, the respondents, their agents, representatives, employees and anyone else and or anyone else under their direction, are barred from effecting/applying Gazette Notice No.1383 dated 6th February 2023, which purports to de-gazette the petitioner as the chairperson of the Kenya National Trading Corporation,” the court ruled.
The case will be mentioned on March 28.
Captain Rukaria, a retired commissioned officer of the Kenya Defence Forces, had been appointed by former president Uhuru Kenyatta on August 5, 2022 — four days before the Presidential elections —for a term of three years.
President Ruto, however, revoked the appointment through a gazette notice dated February 6, 2023.
He replaced him with Hussein Tene Debasso, who was vying for Isiolo’s 2022 governorship race.
Rukaria had asked the court that the appointment of his successor be suspended pending the hearing of the suit and eventually nullified and he is reinstated to the position.
He has sued President Ruto in his personal capacity as the first respondent in the suit and Attorney General Justin Muturi.
The mandate of the KNTC is to stabilise consumer commodity prices by ensuring a balance in supply and demand through the availability of products in the country.
It also undertakes procurement agency services for the Government and general public at a minimal fee.
Rukaria claims that there was no consultation with State Corporations Advisory Committee before the revocation of his appointment.
“Section 7 (3) of the State Corporations Act is clear that before the President can revoke the appointment of any Board member, there have to be cogent reasons for the said revocation and that the same must be subjected to consultation with the state Corporation Advisory Committee,” said Rukaria.
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