Court Suspends Appointment of Former MP Mary Wambui as Chair of Employment Authority

A Nairobi court has suspended the appointment of former Othaya MP Mary Wambui as the Chairperson of the National Employment Authority (NEA).

The appointment was suspended on Wednesday following a petition filed by Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association.

In its petition, the association chaired by Nairobi Senator Johnstone Sakaja argues that Ms. Wambui is not qualified for the position under the law, policy and best practice.

“That the 3rd respondent (Wambui) has on several occasions personally admitted that she possesses a limited educational background which for all intents and purposes makes her unqualified and unsuitable to conduct the affairs of the chairperson of National Employment Authority in light of the specialist academic and professional requirements that were intended to be possessed by the chairperson of the said authority,” the petition reads.

Ms. Wambui was appointed to the position through a gazette notice dated October 14th, 2019.

Her appointment sparked outrage from Kenyans on social media who said she lacked the required academic qualifications to serve in the position while others argued she is too old to represent the interests of unemployed Kenyan youth.

Senator Sakaja indicated that Ms. Wambui was unqualified as per the National Employment Act 2016, which created the authority.

 “..a person shall be qualified to serve as the chairperson of the board if they have at least 7 years’ experience in Human Resource Management or its equivalent,” a section of the act states.

“The leadership of such an institution would need a vision carrier with knowledge of the subject matter and with the passion to drive it especially at its inception,” said Sakaja.

On Wednesday, Labor Court Judge Hellen Wasilwa suspended Wambui’s appointment pending the hearing and determination of the case.