Deputy governor sues boss in salary dispute
Nyeri Deputy Governor Caroline Wanjiru Karugu has sued Governor Mutahi Kahiga and County Secretary for withholding her salary and benefits.
Karugu claims she has not received her pay since the governor has unfairly blocked her from receiving her salary through the county secretary’s office
Through lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui, Wanjiru claims she was shocked and dismayed that the County Secretary, acting at the behest and directions of her boss, totally failed to allocate any fuel allowance to her office since June 2019.
“By reason of which I am compelled to use my own resources to fuel my official car allocated to me as Nyeri Deputy Governor,” she states in court documents.
Karugu contends that the order is drastic, as it bars and shuts her from living with dignity as a human being and meeting her basic day-to-day needs.
She also contends that she has not received her phone and entertainment allowance since 2018.
The Deputy Governor also claims she has been irrationally, unjustly and without lawful cause, been hindered from accessing her office since November 2019 and that no Cabinet meeting invites have ever been sent to her since April 2019.
She further claims the acts are unfairly directed to her with a sole aim of whittling down her efficiency in executing her constitutional mandate as the Nyeri Deputy Governor.
“The deliberately sidelining while I remain the Deputy Governor constitutes a violation of the principle of Good Governance,” she claims.
Urgent matter
Karugu claims her Personal Assistant was also unceremoniously stopped from executing his duties and the County Secretary failed to renew his contract since 2019 at the behest of the governor.
She claims her secretary was also moved out of the office and no replacement was made to her.
Employment and Labour Relations Court judge Nderi Nduma certified the matter urgent and directed the application to be served to the parties and be mentioned on September 16.
