Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner-General John Njiraini. (PHOTO | NATION)
Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner-General John Njiraini, on Tuesday, received a temporary relief as Employment and Labour Relations Court allowed him to remain in office for a while longer.
The court declined to grant orders sending him on compulsory leave as per a petition filed by activist Okiya Omutata on grounds that he had attained retirement age for Public civil servants.
Justice Nelson Abuodho ruled that the status quo should remain the same as he directed the government to come up with retirement laws to ensure that civil servants get successors when they attain the age of 58 ensuring a smooth transition.
“The government needs to come up with laws which should be enacted in issues relating to public servants retirement so that at the age of 58, the CEOs should be having successors,” he ruled.
He directed the petition to be served to other respondents with 20 days so that he could hear and determine the petition before the KRA boss retires.
"I will hear the petition fully and give out a judgment on the case before Njiraini retires from KRA on March," he said.
Omtatah claims that Njiraini's term expired on December 19th upon attainment of retirement age and should therefore be serving a six month terminal leave.
KRA has argued that Njiraini has not sought for a contract extension and allegations of sending him on a compulsory leave are baseless and made prematurely.
The case is set to be mentioned on February 7.