Kambi risks censure as MPs set to probe abuse of office claims
Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi at a past function. FILE
What you need to know:
Bomet MP Ronald Tunoi presented the petition on behalf of 10 labour movement officials who are opposed to Mr Kambi’s decision to irregularly transfer former Registrar of Trade Unions William Lang’at.
The petitioners want Parliament to annul the removal of Mr Langat and his transfer to the Ministry of Industrialisation.
The petitioners, through Mr Tunoi claimed that Mr Lang’at was moved from the position in a bid to weaken Cotu.
Parliament is to investigate the conduct of Labour secretary Kazungu Kambi after an MP formally tabled a petition seeking his removal.
Bomet MP Ronald Tunoi presented the petition on behalf of 10 labour movement officials who are opposed to Mr Kambi’s decision to irregularly transfer former Registrar of Trade Unions William Lang’at.
The petitioners led by Benson Okwaro (Kenya Postal Workers Union) secretary general and Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) member Joel Chebii are seeking a declaration that Mr Kambi grossly abused his powers in removing Mr Langat from office without revoking his appointment through a gazette notice.
The petitioners want Parliament to annul the removal of Mr Langat and his transfer to the Ministry of Industrialisation.
The petitioners, through Mr Tunoi claimed that Mr Lang’at was moved from the position in a bid to weaken Cotu.
They said that the replacement of Mr Lang’at with Esther Gicheha was due to the former registrar refusing to effect “a notice of change of names of titles of officials of a union which was presented to him by the minister on February 5, in the presence of three members of the Aviation and Airport Services Workers Union (AASWU) and a former Kuppet secretary general”.
The petitioners accused the minister of ordering the former registrar to make the changes which would have facilitated the wrestling of AASWU from Cotu to rival Federation of Public Service Trade Unions.
“The cabinet secretary did not seek the direction of the Public Service Commission or the National Labour Board on the appointment or removal and transfer of the registrar of trade unions,” the petitioners said.
They said that the directive to effect changes were unprocedural.
“Your petitioners pray that Parliament finds that the transfer of Mr Langat as registrar of trade unions was irregular, a nullity, devoid of merit and not backed by any law,” they said.
Mr Tunoi said the 10 petitioners want Mr Kambi held for abuse of office and his powers and should therefore be censured.
Mr Langat was appointed on November 18, 2009 through gazette notice 12355.
The petitioners want Parliament to determine whether the minister broke the law or the transfer was in line with the government policy.
“It is the petitioner’s humble position that the office of the Registrar of Trade Unions is key in establishing stable industrial relations for sustained economic development and should be beyond political machinations,” said Mr Tunoi.
The Labour and Social Welfare Committee chaired by Matungu MP David Were has 60 days to conduct an inquiry on the petition and report to Parliament.
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