NAIROBI, Kenya, July 24 – The Employment and Labor Relations court has stopped the recruitment of a new Law Society of Kenya (LSK) CEO pending the hearing and determination of a case filed by incumbent CEO Mercy Wambua.
High Court Judge Maureen Odero said that LSK cannot appoint a new CEO until the hearing of the case in which Wambua is challenging Havi’s decision to replace her citing previous orders barring him from interfering with her incumbency.
“In the meantime there shall be a status quo as at the time of issuance of these orders pending inter parties hearing of the application meaning that the position of the applicant be and is hereby preserved pending inter parties hearing on 29 July,” the judge said in a letter dated 23 July.
The application was certified as urgent and will be heard by Justice James Rika on July 29.
The Havi-led team had invited application to fill the position attracting three applicants and was to conduct interviews for two shortlisted candidates on Friday.
However, the interview did not take place as the society’s Gitanga road offices were sealed off for fumigation.
Havi and Wambua have had a long running tussle with the former declaring the latter sacked in October 2020 over claims she was part of a cartel that had embezeled the society’s money.
The CEO had secured court orders barring her removal from office
A divided council voted to reinstate her in office.
“I am apprehensive that unless retrained by the court, the interviews scheduled for today would proceed as planned, resulting in appointment of CEO of LSK and Secretary to the council of the society,” she said in her pleadings.
The tussle took a new turn on July 13 when Havi was arrested by agents from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over impending assault charges.
He was picked at his offices in Nairobi a day after Wambua filed a complaints with the police saying she had been assaulted by the outspoken leader of the LSK.
Wambua said Havi attacked her after she had sat down at the meeting and opened her laptop, having refused to leave as ordered.
“It was embarrassing and I was assaulted. This is wrong,” she said, adding: ” I have also filled the P3 form for further police action.”
