The Employment and Labor Relations Court in Kisumu has blocked the sacking of 143 Kakamega revenue clerks until a court case they filed is heard and determined.
Justice O. Makau on December 4 ordered the county government to reinstate all the revenue clerks to their positions with full benefits.
“Leave so granted do operate as a stay of the suspension of members of the workers pending the filing and hearing of the notice of motion for the orders to compel the county government to reinstate the workers,” the order says.
The clerks, through the Kenya County Government Workers Union, sought to set aside show cause and suspension letters issued by the county government on October 23.
They argue that the letters were written by persons that have no authority to do so.
They have sued the acting county public service chief officer Lawrence Omuhaka, Public Service CEC Beatrice Sabana, Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, the county government and the county public service board.
But Omuhaka said yesterday that the clerks were jumping the gun by rushing to court before the disciplinary process is completed.
He said the disciplinary process will continue.
On August 6, Oparanya sent all the revenue clerks on two-months compulsory leave and replaced them with 400 community administrators.
The administrators were to collect revenue under the supervision of ward and sub-county administrators and CECs.
The letters, signed by Omuhaka, accused the clerks of failing to collect county revenue from single business permits, motorbike and vehicle monthly stickers.
The offences were allegedly committed in the financial year 2018-19, and were according to the authorities, a breach of the Kakamega County Government Finance Act 2018.
