Activist Okiya Omtatah has moved to court to challenge the appointment of Prof Olive Mugenda as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital board. 

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The activist argues that the appointment of Mugenda was biased. 

He urged the court to revoke the appointment to allow room for fairness and equality to be applied before anyone can take over the posts. 

He also said that President Uhuru Kenyatta errored when he named Kithinji Kiragu and Gladys Ogallo to join the members of the board of the facility.

 He noted that the positions are meant for public servants hence the need for thorough vetting before appointments can be made over the same. 

Omtata noted that the Public Service commission (PSC) has to announce vacancies and conduct interviews before appointment takes place. 

 “Under the law, the process for filling offices in the public service begins with the PSC advertising vacancies for the positions and inviting applications from qualified interested parties,” read part of his statement, as quoted by Citizen.

Mugenda, a former Vice Chancellor of KU, was formally appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta. 

She is expected to serve in this capacity for a period of three years following the appointment. 

Mugenda was rewarded after she spearheaded the construction of the facility during her reign as the Vice Chancellor.

She went into the books of history after she drafted the proposal that saw the hospital established in the institution. 

She has since thanked President Kenyatta following her appointment.  

The hospital, which is a parastatal within the Ministry of health, is expected to offer services not only to students but also other Kenyans from all over the nation.

 The appointment comes three months after Mugenda lost her husband Prof Abel G Mugenda.