Court reinstates suspended county water CEO, awards him Sh5m

Justice Jemimah Wanza Keli ordered that the board should not interfere or sabotage the reinstatement of the executive office. [iStockphoto]

The employment and labour relations court has ordered immediate reinstatement of suspended Kakamega County water Chief Executive Officer Abdikadir Abdi.

The same court sitting in Bungoma has ordered the Kakamega County Urban Water and Sanitation Corporation (KACUWASCO) to pay Eng Abdikadir Sh5 million as part of the unpaid salary accrued since he was suspended mid-last year.

On Friday, Justice Jemimah Wanza Keli ruled that the water company erred while suspending the official and that the process to kick him out was unfair since the CEO was not given an opportunity to be heard.

In the ruling, the judge further ordered that the board should not interfere or sabotage the reinstatement of the executive office.

The company was also ordered to pay the cost incurred during the case. Abdi was sent home in May last year following persistent wrangles at the water company involving mega tenders that he refused to approve citing interference by unnamed officials.

The matter was picked up detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission who opened an inquiry into the Sh200 million containerised water project saga.

Several officials including company secretary Christabel Ashiona who later became acting CEO, were summoned over allegations that the tenders were awarded to different companies that exhibit serious conflict of interest. Under investigations, were claims that some officers had forged the signature of Abdikadir to award the tenders.

One company Sesela Resources Limited scooped two award letters of the Sh198 million tender.

Sesela was awarded Sh71,441,669.4 to undertake Firatsi containerised plant in Butere sub-county and another Sh71,421,669.8 to install portable containerised treatment plant at Butwehe in Ikolomani sub-county.

The Penter MC was awarded Sh61,500,000 to install Nandamaywa containerised treatment plant in Shinyalu sub-county under the current financial year.