ROUGH GAME : FAVOURITISM AND DISCRIMINATION AS OVER 5000 KENYAN JUDICIAL STAFF CRY FOUL PROMOTIONS

ROUGH GAME : FAVOURITISM AND DISCRIMINATION AS OVER 5000 KENYAN JUDICIAL STAFF CRY FOUL PROMOTIONS

 

 

 

 

By Chris Ojow

 

 

 

 

It is a state of mental anguish clouded with suspicions, torture,

traumatized , very demoralised physically and spiritually as close to

nine hundred Judicial Staff who applied with majority shortlisted

for interviews in the year 2019 , geared towards promotions,

redesignation and salary increments are still in the dark over the

outcome.

 

 

 

 

The Chief Registrar of the Judiciary , mandated by the Country new

2010 Constitution under article 161 clause 1 roman (c) , where he or

she shall exercise Powers of administrator and accounting Officer of

the Judiciary , is being accused by the Kenyan Judicial Staff of

neglecting their immediate plights and only perfecting the role of a

public relations officer .

 

 

 
Fearing uncalled for dismissals, unnecessary intimidations and

being transfered to hardship Regions for opening up , the mentally

disturbed , demoralised Kenyan Judicial Staff are now calling for the

newly appointed first Kenya female Chief Justice and The President

of the Supreme Court Martha Koome , to intervene on their plight

and with speed , resolve the long standing sensitive administrative

urgent issue by exercising the powers given to her by the Law

through Article 161 , clause 1 , roman (b) as the Head of the

Judiciary.

 

 

 

 

 

African Times Media Award winning crime investigation

Photojournalist Chris Ojow ,after getting wind over the disturbing

issue of Kenyan Judicial Staffers short changed promotions ,

redesignation and salary increments. Investigated and found out an

embarrassing report .

 

 

 

 

 

Where in few cases , some Judicial Staff were promoted without the

due process being adhered too , while majority of staffers who

Graduated in the year 2012 holders of Degree has never been

promoted to get salary increments .

 

 

 

 
From the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary/Secretary, Judicial Service

Commission, the memo authored on 19 August year 2015 by Anne

.A. Amadi and copied to the Chairman JSC and Director Judicial

Training Institute , directing all Magistrates and Judicial Staff during

a training on guidelines for processing promotions and

redesignation .

 

 

 

 

 

where they were informed that promotions will be considered

inline to their cadres and redesignation will be considered within

individuals grades, attainments of academic and professional

qualifications of Bachelors, Masters and PHD  staff will

automatically lead to increment in salary structure .

 

 

 
Despite the fact that majority were found to have attained the

requirements in the year 2015 , it is alleged that only Magistrates

benefited from the training program and Judicial staff very few

selectively benefitted.

 

 

 

 
As goal posts being changed silently and unceremoniously while

staff keep on braving the fighting spirit by applying for the yearly

advertised job promotions to no avail .

 

 

 

 
In 2017 another internal advertisement was announced by the

Secretary, Judicial Service Commission the employer , urging

candidates ,the Judicial Staff to apply for the position of Executive

Officers , who were to be deployed to take charge of registry

services and general office before 27th march 2017.

 

 

 

 
The candidates Judicial staff were required to equip themselves

with Bachelor’s Degree in social Sciences or other equivalent

qualifications from a recognized Institution in the Country with

computer experience as added advantage with allegations of only

few selectively benefitted.

 

 

 

 

 

And during the just concluded Interviews for the position of Chief

Justice and a Judge of the Supreme Court , the JSC is on record

having been accused by the newly appointed Supreme Court Judge

former Court of Appeal President William Ouko of being biased .

 

 

 

 

In the year 2019 between October and November an interview was

conducted by the Judicial Service Commission, the employer

established under article 171 of the constitution and mandated by

the Country Constitution to promote , facilitate the Independence

and accountability of the Judiciary including it’s efficient , effective

and transparent administration of Justice by reviewing and making

recommendations on the conditions of Judges , Judicial Officers ,

Judicial Staffers through appointment under Article 172 of the new

Constitution , it has not made any efforts to positively communicate

to the shortlisted candidates interviewed two years ago on the way

forward to their promising Future .

 

 

 

 

 

Whereby during the 2019 interviews conducted by the

Constitutionally mandated body the JSC , a total of 200 Legal

Researchers and Magistrates were promoted within January year

2021 as the shortlisted Interviewed Judicial staff, none has been

communicated too nor even received interview results , talk of

being subjected to a State of mental torture .

 

 

 

 

 

Through a letter authored on 22nd of June year 2021 by the

Secretary General Kenya Judicial Staff Association signed by

Millicent Owino copied to Chief Registrar of the Judiciary , Director

Human Resource Development and received by Chief Registrar of

Judiciary on 24th June, also the Director Human Resource

Management and Development confirmed received on the same

date of June 24th , while the employer JSC confirmed receiving on

23rd of June and all the three departments confirmed received by

stamped copies.

 

 

 

 

 

in the letter addressed to Judicial Service Commission by Kenya

Judicial Staff Association, inquiring on the release of interview

results for Court administrators and accounts assistants , where the

employer JSC was being reminded on the previous letter sent on

26th February year 2021 to expedite the release of interview results

for Court Administrators and Accounts Assistants which was long

overdue and which has caused a lot of mental anguish to those who

attended the interview.

 

 

 

 

 

The issue of releasing the interview results is not a new

phenomenon with Judicial Service Commission, currently there is

an application before the High Court filed by one of the former

contestant for the position of Chief Justice , the applicant Prof.

Makau Mutua in several of his prayers is seeking the results of the

interview he participated be made public and also know how he

scored when he was interviewed for the Country highest third

position .

 
In the year 2018 02nd October an internal Memo from Judiciary,

directed to all staff from the Acting Director Human Resource and

Administration signed by L. A. Onyango copied to Chairman Judicial

Service Commission, the Secretary Judicial Service Commission and

Registrar Judicial Service Commission on promotions and

redesignation of Judicial Staff , all the staff were informed that the

intended promotions and redesignation have been held until

further notice, but it is alleged by the staff that during that period

few staff were promoted in the face of Court order vacated the

redesignation after an application under certificate of urgency was

filed.

 

 

 

 

 

Initially all the Judicial Staff were made aware that all promotions

will forthwith be as per the approved optimal staff establishment ,

the approved scheme of service and career guidelines and staff

members salary may go up if staff gets a new appointment to a

higher grade.

 

 

 

 

All the interviews that has been conducted by the employer Judicial

Service Commission over Judicial Staff promotions since year 2015

none has ever been implemented successfully , despite the JSC

commission each member taking home allowances the Tax payers

money unnecessarily with no meaningful results to prove the

earnings .