NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 – The High Court has dismissed a petition by Okiya Omtatah seeking to nullify the appointment of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Abdi Ahmed Mohamud.
Omtatah and six other petitioners had argued that the appointment was unlawful, claiming the EACC is an independent commission that should appoint its own staff without parliamentary approval.
In a ruling delivered on January 12, Justice Bahati Mwamuye held that Section 16(1) of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Act, which requires approval by the National Assembly, is constitutional and does not undermine the commission’s independence.
The court affirmed that the National Assembly’s approval of Mohamud was lawful and valid, adding that claims of violations of fundamental rights, including fair administrative action and freedom from discrimination, were unsubstantiated.
