A section of Nakuru County residents have moved to the high court claiming that the composition of the Geothermal Development Company board is discriminative and biased.
In the petition filed on Wednesday through their lawyer Hari Gakinya, the residents, led by Mr Joachim Njui, said the firm has given the locals, especially the youth a raw deal in its recruitment of staff despite having the relevant qualifications and competencies.
The residents, who have sued the power generation firm and the attorney general averred that the firm has flouted article 69 of the constitution by failing to share the natural resource exploited by GDC equitably by ensuring that locals benefited from the resource.
In an affidavit sworn in by Joachim Njui, the petitioners stated that the appointed GDC board members do not reflect equitability to the people of Nakuru County who bear the blunt of environmental degradation as a result of activities of the power production company.
Mr Joachim and the residents claimed that none of the recently appointed GDC board members; Salaton Leteipa, Michael Ogwapit, Dr Stephen Njiru and Florence Chepng’etich Bore, is a resident of Nakuru County despite the company having its operatons in the county.
The move, they claim was violating the constitution which calls for proper distribution of slots in state-owned firms.
The locals have also taken issue with the operations of the firm claiming that it was releasing hazardous gases to the air thus adversely affecting the local commmunity.
The petitioners want the court to grant orders barring GDC from convening any board meetings of directors pending hearing and determination of the matter and also to compel the firm to make public its environmental impact assessment report.
They also want the court to issue orders compelling the firm to reconstitute its board and allow the petitioners 95 percent of appointments in the board.
Lady Justice Abigael Mshila certified the matter as urgent and scheduled inter parties hearing for May 19.