KeNHA chairman wants case against appointment dropped
Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) board chairman Wangai Ndirangu has urged the court to dismiss a case challenging his appointment by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In his reply to a petition filed by lobby group Sheria Mtaani, Wangai argued that the case was filed too late in the day and does not raise any irregularities for the Employment and Labour Relations Court to intervene.
The President appointed Wangai on November 12, 2019. However, the case to have the appointment quashed was filed this year.
According to Wangai, the appointment was done within the law adding that the case was filed to achieve ulterior motives.
"The applicant (Sheria Mtaani) has not demonstrated a prima facie case with any likelihood of success. There has been inordinate delay in filing this matter and the applicant is guilty of laches, and therefore not deserving the equitable reliefs sought,” argued Wangai.
In the case, Sheria Mtaani claimed that by the time Wangai was being appointed, he was at that time an employee of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat).
The civil society group argues that it was against the law. According to the lobby group, KeNHA’s law provides that a chairperson should not be a public officer by the time he or she is appointed by the president.
