Veteran public servant Francis Muthaura who was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to head the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) board has been sworn in despite opposition from the public and civil society.
Muthaura, 72, and four other board members took the oath of office on Monday, June 4, at the Supreme Court premises.
In a statement posted on the Judiciary website on Monday, June 4, Muthaura, Charles Makori Omanga, Leonard Ithau and Susan Mudhune were sworn in by Chief Registrar of Judiciary Anne Amadi.
In his acknowledgment of the task ahead, Muthaura who formally served as Kenya's Head of Public Service said he was determined to live up to the oath of office he took through efficient service provision.
The five took the oath of office despite strong opposition from the public who ridiculed Uhuru for appointing an aged civil servant when many youths were struggling to get jobs.
On Tuesday, May 29, Okiya Omtatah, a civil rights' activist also filed a petition to overturn the appointment of the five board members on grounds that the exercise was done unconstitutionally.
"The appointment of the aforesaid board members by President Uhuru Kenyatta is unconstitutional. The gazette notice didn't had a signature and seal as required by article 135 of the constitution," pleaded Omtatah in the application of Tuesday, May 29.
The court granted him temporary orders barring the board members from taking over but quashed the same orders citing the petition had been overtaken by events. Muthaura was appointed by Uhuru through a gazette notice of Tuesday, May 22.