Linet Chepkorir, aka Toto, a Bomet Women representative, is under investigation for allegedly engaging in nepotism by hiring members of her close circle and relatives.
In a lawsuit brought by two Boment citizens, Chepkorir is alleged to have chosen six of her close family members to work in her office and pay them a combined monthly salary of Ksh612,000 out of the total Ksh811,000 given to all the staff members hired in her office.
Collins Barno and Stanley Kiprotich Bii, the petitioners, allege in the lawsuit filed at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi that the MP disregarded the minimum standards of openness, competitiveness, merit, and integrity.
“While appointing the six persons Chepkorir totally ignored the gender principle which is a requirement in public appointments as the dictates of the constitution since there are only three women out of fifteen staff she has employed in her office,” the court papers state.
The six persons are Bett Kipkirui (county manager office of women representative), Dominic Mutai (deputy manager), Sheila Chep’ngeno (county coordinator), Josephat Kiplangat (field officer), Pius Kiplangat (communications officer), Emmanuel Kipkorir (media personnel. They are listed as interested parties in the suit.
According to the petitioners, the action of the Woman Representative of employing of her relatives in a public office is not only an act of nepotism but also prejudicial to the adherence to the rule of law in the running of the public office.
“Unless the said appointments are quashed by an order of the court it will set a bad precedent in the country, where public institutions and appointments will be made unlawfully and irregularly on the basis of partisan consideration instead of strict compliance with the legal requirements,” the duo states.
The petitioners claim that they were waiting to apply for the jobs once advertised but they were later surprised that to that that Chepkorir had handpicked family members and relatives.
According to the petitioners, the six relatives taking home 75 per cent of the total monthly salaries in the payroll allocated in the office is suspicious of wanting to defraud the government.
“Some of the appointed support staff of Bomet County women Representative have serious integrity issues and are not fit to serve as public officers. They were not cleared by the EACC before appointment as required by law,” the two residents claim.
The petitioners want the court to declare that the appointment of the six family members by Chepkorir to the public office as support staff in the office of Bomet county Women Representative as null and void, unlawful and unconditional.
“We urged the court to issue an order directing the Chepkorir and Parliament Service Commission to recruit their support staff afresh following the guidelines issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and strictly in accordance with the law,” the petitioners seek.
The petitioners challenge the appointment made by Chepkorir claiming that the public was not allowed to participate in the process, hence the recruitment was unlawful and constitutes unfair labour practice.
The Woma Rep is also being faulted for being unable to ensure that there was inclusivity and equality in the process.
Justice James Rika transferred the petition to the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Eldoret stating that there was no reason for the case to be filed and heard at Nairobi.
“This Petition involves Bomet County. The Employment and Labour Relations Court is in Eldoret, Kisumu, Bungoma and Nakuru, which centres are nearer to Bomet, than Nairobi. There is no reason for the Petition to be filed and heard in the Court at Nairobi,” Justice Rika said.
