Court issues contempt notice against embattled Coast water board boss

From left;Coast Water Services Board chairperson Sureya Hirsi, New CEO Jacob Kinutai Tarut with other members addresses the media outside the Coast Water Services Board offices in Mombasa on Friday.Photo/Mkamburi Mwawasi/Standard.

A court has issued a contempt notice against embattled Coast Water Services Board Chief Executive Officer Jacob Kimutai, for allegedly failing to comply with an order.

The order comes as protests rage over the appointment of the CEO opposed by workers and civil society groups, and a sharply divided management board. On Friday, workers disrupted water supply to the six counties protesting Mr Kimutai’s appointment as a civil society and workers obtained two court orders barring him from taking over office.

The Commission for Human Right and Justice wants Kimutai jailed for six months for disobeying an order issued on May 5 restraining him from taking over as the new CEO.

“Kimutai has deliberately and with impunity failed to obey the said order, hence it is in the interest of justice that this application is heard urgently,” said a notice filed on Friday.

Though Obara and Obara advocates, with a support affidavit by its Executive Director Julius Ogogoh, the civil society alleges that the CEO acted in total disregard of the court order.

“We moved to court because workers and other stakeholders feel the recruitment was unprocedural,” said Mr Ogogoh.