Court to sentence CS Mutahi Kagwe on July 23

The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi on Thursday, July 9, convicted Health minister Mutahi Kagwe of contempt of court after he initiated the transfers of the National Quality Control Laboratory (NQCL) CEO and Deputy Director despite existence of an order barring the reposting.

Kagwe has been directed to appear in court on July 23, 2020 for sentencing.

NQCL CEO Dr. Hezekiah Chepkwony and the agency’s Deputy Director, Dr. Pius Wanjala, had moved to court challenging their transfers.

Dr. Chepkwony had been posted to the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), whereas Dr. Wanjala had been moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

The two NQCL bosses had obtained a court order on January 31, 2020 stopping the transfers from being implemented.

Justice Onesmus Makau of the Employment and Labour Relations Court granted Dr. Chepkwony and Dr. Wanjala their wish, effectively stopping their ordered transfers.

However, the CS is said to have defied the court order and made new appointments replacing the two NQCL bosses.

The maximum penalties for contempt of court offence in Kenya is six months imprisonment and, or a fine not exceeding Ksh200, 000.