Mwau wants Government made to confer honours on deserving State officers

By WILFRED AYAGA

Former MP John Harun Mwau has filed an application seeking orders to compel President Uhuru Kenyatta to confer judges, magistrates and former members of Parliament with national honours.

Mwau has moved to court under a certificate of urgency claiming that some judges, magistrates and assistant ministers have been overlooked in the conferment of presidential awards and commendations.

In his petition before Justice Mumbi Ngugi, Mwau argues that the National Honours and Awards Committee is in the process of drawing up a list of Kenyans to be awarded during the next national celebrations, and deserving Kenyans who have not been awarded should not be left out.

DISCRIMINATION

He claims that the Government has intentionally by-passed deserving Kenyans in the conferment of the awards.

“Wilfully and intentionally, some judges, MPs and magistrates have routinely been discriminated against by being denied honours and awards whose rights had occurred by virtue of the office held,” Mwau argues in his application.

He recommends that all judges who held office as at December 12, 2012, be conferred with award of First Class Honour of the Chief of Order of the Burning Spear.

He also recommends that all persons appointed as assistant ministers in the previous Governments and have not been feted be conferred with the award of Moran of the Order of the Golden Heart.

Mwau claims that deserving civil servants, who have never been honoured, sufferlow morale in performing their duties in Government.

“It would be unfair if the Government proceeds to grant honours and awards from a clean slate without clearing the backlog as a result of discrimination and without remedying the wrongs, breaches and violations committed,” he argues.