Activist Omtatah wants KRA boss Njiraini retired in suit

Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General John Njiraini. (Photo: Courtesy)

Will activist Okiya Omtatah be lucky for the umpteenth time? This is the question in many people’s lips as Omtatah opens a new battle this time at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

The activist moved to court on Friday seeking orders to compel the taxman to send home its Commissioner General John Njiraini.

He filed a case before Justice Maureen Onyango who certified the suit as urgent, ordering him to serve KRA with the papers while setting the November 30, as the hearing date.

Omtatah wants the court to compel KRA board of directors and Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich to immediately appoint an acting commissioner-general while sending Njiraini, who turns 60 on December 20, on terminal leave.

“Under the law, the position of the commissioner-general of KRA must immediately be declared vacant and the process of recruiting the new secretary and CEO needs to be fast-tracked,” the activist says in his suit papers.

Njiraini has been at the helm of the tax authority since March 2012 when he was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was then the Finance minister. Njiraini was retained by the KRA board in March 2015 for a second three-year term.

In November last year, Industrial Court Judge Nelson Abuodha issued orders stopping Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter from renewing Kenya Power CEO Ben Chumo’s term because he had reached the retirement age of 60, compelling him to quit the utility firm on January 4 this year.

The ruling also saw Joe Ng’ang’a of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) abruptly leave his position as director general, eight months before his contract expired. He is 61.

Others whose fate was determined by the ruling include Rural Electrification Authority CEO Ng’ang’a Munyu, who turned 60 this year and although his term was to end next year, has since exited.

Former KenGen CEO Albert Mugo also retired recently having attained the age of 60 with Rebecca Miano being named CEO.

Another causalty of Omtatah’s litigation war is former Kenyatta University vice chancellor Olive Mugenda, who was compelled to retire by the High Court in March 2016 upon the expiry of her term.