Twaha fires two county CECs hours after reinstating them

Raphael Munyua Ndung’u, one of the Lamu County CECs who was reinstated following a court ruling and then fired hours later by Governor Fahim Twaha. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Twaha had fired the two in April and immediately replaced them.
  • The two had been reinstated following a judgment by the labour court in Mombasa delivered on September 20.
  • Mr Ndung’u and Ms Ndung’u did not even go back to their offices since Mr Twaha fired them afresh.

Lamu Governor Fahim Twaha has fired two county executive committee members (CECs), just hours after he reinstated them.

Mr Raphael Munyua Ndung’u (Health Services and Environment) and Ms Florence Wairimu Ndung’u (Agriculture and Water Development) were reinstated on Thursday last week only to be fired again later.

The two had been reinstated following a judgment by the labour court in Mombasa delivered on September 20, 2018 directing the county government of Lamu to hire them back immediately after finding no compelling reasons for their dismissal.

Judge Linnet Ndolo had argued that in the circumstance of the case, it appeared that the governor made the decision to dismiss the petitioner in the case without any known reasons.

REPLACED

Mr Twaha had fired the two in April and immediately replaced them.

“The attempt to introduce reasons in pleadings could not cure this irregularity and the court finds that the petitioner’s dismissal was unlawful, null and void. In light of the forgoing findings and taking into account the blatant violation of the law by the respondents, coupled with the fact that it is near impossible for the petitioner to find a similar job within the republic, the court finds that the only viable remedy is reinstatement of the petitioner to the position held prior to the impugned termination. The reinstatement is without loss of any salary and or benefits,” read the judgment.

On Thursday during the afternoon sittings at the Lamu County Assembly, Speaker Abdu Kassim Ahmed read a communication from the chair that Mr Twaha had reinstated the two CECs.

But Nation has now established that Mr Ndung’u and Ms Ndung’u did not even go back to their offices since Mr Twaha fired them afresh shortly after the announcement to reinstate them was made.

CONFIRMED

A senior Lamu county official who talked to the Nation on Sunday and requested not to be named confirmed that the two were indeed fired.

“Yes. It’s true. The two have been fired again. People should know that the court had argued that the earlier dismissal of the two didn’t follow the right procedure. So the governor had to obey the court order and reinstated them last week before firing them afresh by following the right procedure,” said the official.

Contacted, Mr Ndung’u, one of those fired, confirmed to have received a dismissal letter from the county government.

“It’s very true. Our happiness after the governor reinstated us on Thursday was very short-lived. As we speak, we have already been dismissed again,” said Mr Ndung’u.

Efforts to reach Lamu County Secretary John Mburu Kimani for comment on the matter were futile since his phone had been switched off.