Lawyers move to block state appointments over regional imbalance

NAIROBI, KENYA: Lawyers have protested recent appointments to key government institutions claiming regional imbalance.

Through an urgent petition at the High Court, Chama Cha Mawakili wants the government’s nine appointees to the Postal Corporation of Kenya and the Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA) stopped from assuming office over claims of regional imbalance.

Through lawyer Paul Ogendi, the group argued that the country is at risk of disintegration due to the ethnic imbalance in state appointments and wants the court to intervene to help marginalised communities get a share of their right.

“The constitution is very clear about regional balance in state appointments. You cannot have a country with over 40 ethnic communities but only one community is getting the lions share in senior positions in the government,” said Ogendi.

ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru on May 3 appointed Mike Rubia, Fred Gachie, Munyua Waiyaki, Simon Kiuta, and Pauline Muthangani to the Board of the Postal Corporation of Kenya while James Murithi, Jane Githinji, Ndogo Waweru and Robert Murimi were appointed to TARDA.

The lawyers submitted that the appointments did not reflect the face of Kenya and do not satisfy the constitutional requirement of ethnic and regional balance.

According to Ogendi, the domination of state appointments by the bigger communities in disregard of other small communities who also have capable people to occupy the positions is not good for the country’s social and economic growth.