Industry

CS faults order blocking NSSF trustees’ meeting

chelug

Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Labour Cabinet secretary Simon Chelugui has asked the High Court to lift an order blocking the board of trustees of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) from convening, arguing that stalling of its operations exposes the Sh285 billion fund to theft.

In a petition filed under certificate of urgency, the CS says barring the board of trustees from convening for purposes of its functions exposes the taxpayers’ funds to theft or mismanagement.

Employment and Labour relations court had on December 23 barred the board from convening following an application by the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu-K).

The workers’ umbrella body moved to court after one of its nominees, Rose Omamo, was rejected by Mr Chelugui.

“The fund being taxpayers’ money stands exposed to pilferage, theft or mismanagement if the application is not allowed,” Mr Chelugi said in an affidavit.

The CS further said in the petition that he rejected Ms Omamo’s name because of ethnic considerations.

He said as currently constituted, the board has three members from Nyanza and in the event he had picked Ms Omamo alongside Isaac Okello as Cotu’s representatives, it would have made four members from Nyanza out of seven.

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