Kenya Civil Servants Union contests TARDA director’s appointment

Steven Githaiga, Managing Director of Tana and Arthi Rivers Developing Authority, TARDA. [Photo Courtesy]

The Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) is seeking a court order to ouster the Managing Director of Tana and Arthi Rivers Developing Authority (TARDA) Steven Githaiga.

In a petition filed at the Employment and Labor Relations Court in Nairobi, the union contests the legality of the appointment of Mr. Githaiga as the Managing Director.

Through lawyer Jaoko Alexander, the Union claimed that the managing director did not undergo the requisite recruitment process as provided under the constitution of Kenya and other applicable laws.

“Githaiga has no appointment letter from the appointing Authority or signed contract from the TARDA board,” said Jaoko

He further claimed that Mr. Githaiga was handpicked and there were no applications allowed from qualified and interested Kenyans.

“No interviews were conducted by the Public Service Commission(PSV)as required under the law and vetting for scrutiny, advertisement to allow qualified members of the public to apply for the position to be followed by a shortlisting process,” added Jaoko.

The union also wants Githaiga suspended from executing his mandate pending the hearing and determination of the application.

“Unless the orders we are seeking are granted, the petition will be of no value because Githaiga shall have enjoyed illegally and earned taxpayers’ money amounting to Sh 29,230,944 basic pay besides other allowances through fraud,” added Jaoko

Jaoko told the court that Githaiga, if not suspended, will interfere with the evidence and victimize the employees of the East African Community and Regional Development behind the petition.

In the court documents, Jaoko said that the accused has serious integrity issues and is not fit to serve as the managing director of TARDA after the Auditor General revealed misappropriation of over Sh 645,300,596 under his watch in June of 2015 and 2017.

The Cabinet Secretary for East African Community and Regional Development, Public Service Commission, Director Department of Civil Registration, Githaiga and the Attorney General are respondents in the suit.