By Richard Munguti
Court Reporter
Tuesday May 17, 2022
The High Court has given Sports CS Amina Mohamed five days
to file evidence in a case seeking to kick out the Football Kenya Federation
(FKF) Transition Committee she appointed last Friday.
However, Lady Justice Hedwiq Ong’udi did not grant temporary
orders stopping the Justice Ringera led committee from assuming office.
In his petition, Joseph Kariuki Njenga claims CS Amina
violated both the Sports Act and the constitution in recycling the Justice
Ringera led committee to oversee football activities.
Justice Ong’udi directed lawyer Eric Thuita for Njenga, to
serve the CS and the Attorney General Paul Kihara, who have been named as
respondents, with the court papers within two days.
She directed the case be mentioned before Justice Antony
Mrima on May 25, 2022 for further directions and fixing of hearing dates of the
suit.
Njenga wants the court to grant a conservatory order
suspending the new mandate granted to Justice Ringera’s committee.
“Upon perusal of the petition and notice of motion filed by
the petitioner (Joseph Njenga) dated May 13, 2022, I am satisfied they are
urgent and are hereby certified as such.”
Upon receipt of the court papers, Justice Ringera’s
committee has been directed to answer the issues raised by Njenga within five
days.
In the suit, Njenga laments the appointment of the new
committee, “is shrouded with secrecy and express violation of the principles of
transparency.”
He accuses the CS of contravening Articles 10 and 232 of
Constitution which requires observance of national values and good governance.
“The appointment was non-competitive/not-merit based thus a
contravention of the principles of public appointments,” states Njenga.
He further claims Justice Ringera, Maurice Oyugi, Michael
Michemi, Ali Amuor, Neddy Atieno, who have been named as interested parties
amongst others, sdid not apply for the positions they were appointed, and that
no interviews were conducted to test their aptness.
The freshly appointed committee has been mandated to oversee
the management of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) for a term of five weeks
from May 11, 2022.
It replaced the FKF Caretaker Committee which assumed office
on November 11 2021 for a period of six months.
Njenga pleaded to be permitted to serve the suit papers on
the interested parties (Justice Ringera) and others electronically.