NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 11 – A petition filed at the High Court of Kenya is seeking to halt the recruitment and appointment process for the chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Francis Meja, raising fresh concerns over the legality of the selection exercise for the powerful public service oversight role.
The case, filed by petitioners Magare Gikenyi and Eliud Karanja Matindi, names the National Assembly, the Public Service Commission and the Office of the Attorney-General among the respondents.
Also listed in the suit are Francis Meja, Mary Wanjira Kimonye, Boya Molu, and Francis Owino Otieno, who are linked to the recruitment process.
The petitioners argue that the process used to recruit and approve the PSC chairperson violated constitutional provisions and public participation requirements.
“This matter is of Public interest. This court has jurisdiction over this matter and I pray that it will be fair, just and expedient that this petition and application be allowed,” the petition states.
“I request this honourable court to grant me prayers having put across constitutional violations undertaken by the respondents against defenseless Kenyans.”
The petition also lists the Katiba Institute, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the PSC itself as interested parties in the matter.
The court filing seeks orders to review or stop the recruitment process pending determination of the constitutional issues raised.
The petition comes amid scrutiny over the appointment of Francis Meja as chairperson of the PSC.
President William Ruto nominated Meja for the position in January 2026 before the National Assembly vetted and approved him for the role.
Meja, a former Director-General of the National Transport and Safety Authority, had already been serving as a commissioner at the PSC since January 2025 prior to his elevation to chairperson.
His nomination triggered debate over eligibility, with critics arguing that his continued service as a commissioner during the recruitment process created a potential conflict and may have given him an unfair advantage over other candidates.
