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Mumo Matemu was appointed to head the EACC on May 11

Kenya

Court stops anti-graft czar in his tracks

Mumo Matemu was appointed to head the EACC on May 11

NAKURU, Kenya, May 16 – The High Court in Nakuru on Wednesday temporarily blocked the appointment of Mumo Matemu as the chairman of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Nakuru High Court Judge Mathew Emukule ruled that there were serious allegations raised against the Executive and Parliament over Matemu’s appointment, hence the need to halt it.

He referred the matter to Chief Justice Willy Mutunga who will now appoint a special bench to hear the case.

Matemu was appointed by President Mwai Kibaki to head the EACC last Friday, just a day after Parliament approved his nomination.

Also appointed as commissioners were Jane Onsongo and Irene Keino.

The case blocking Matemu’s appointment was lodged on Tuesday by an organisation known as the Trusted Society of Human Rights Alliance.

The group said in its suit papers that Matemu’s appointment was illegal and unconstitutional, citing major financial scams when he served as a legal officer at a State Corporation.

“The process was a coup of the Constitution as it was devoid of consultations and democracy and therefore a disrespect of the Kenyan people,” the group said.

The matter was filed under a certificate of urgency and named Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa, Attorney General Githu Muigai and Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko as respondents.

Matemu was listed in the suit papers as an interested party.

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Wamalwa, Muigai and Tobiko are sued for ignoring concerns over Matemu’s integrity during the appointment process.

The group was represented by lawyer Gordon Ogola.

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