The Employment and Labor Relations Court has extended orders preventing the suspension of Peter Koria, CEO and General Manager of Bomas of Kenya.
During the ruling, Judge Ann Mwaure asserted the court’s jurisdiction in handling the matter, citing its origin in employer-employee disputes. The court directed that the case be referred to Labor Employment Principal Judge Byrum Ongaya to assign a judge for further proceedings.
Judge Ann stated, “This court does not wish to proceed with this hearing for personal reasons, and in any event, the judge will be proceeding on leave, potentially causing delays in determining the case.”
Consequently, she prolonged the orders restraining the Bomas of Kenya board from appointing an acting CEO to replace Koria. However, lawyer Paul Maina, representing Bomas of Kenya, informed the court that they were unable to comply with the orders since they had already appointed an interim CEO by the time the orders were issued.
“At the time the orders had been issued, an acting CEO had already been appointed, and therefore, we were not able to comply with the orders,” said Paul Maina.
Peter Koria, among the CEOs of state agencies suspended for 12 months based on Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) recommendations during ongoing investigations, had his lawyer Danstan Omari argue that the EACC’s recommendation was tainted by irregularities and procedural flaws.
Other executives suspended included Eng. Fredrick Mwamati (CEO, Tana Water Works and Development Agency), Stanvas Ong’alo (Acting DG, National Museums of Kenya), Eng. Anthony Wamukota (GM, Design and Construction, KETRACO), Kenjamin K Chilumo (CEO of Huduma Centre Secretariat), and Stephen Ogenga (DG, National Industrial Training Authority).
