Blow to Ruto as High Court halt implementation of compulsory migration to e-citizen
President William Ruto has suffered a major blow after the High Court halted the implementation and operation of the directives given by the president compelling the government institutions to compulsory onboard and migrate to e-citizen services despite his one-week compliance ultimatum.
While issuing the orders today, High Court judge Justice Bahati Mwamuye stated that “conservatory order is hereby be and is hereby issued suspending the implementation and operation of the directives issued by the president of the republic of Kenya on November 28, 2024.” He ruled.
The petition which was filed under the certificate of urgency by Kituo cha Sheria was supported by the affidavit of Hillary Mokaya who is the first petitioner seeking orders restraining the implementation of the directive issued by the president until the matter is heard and determined.
They sued the Attorney General, Cabinet Secretary National Treasury and Economic Planning and Principal Secretary Immigration and Citizen Services.
On the said dates, the president William Ruto issued directives to all Chief Executive Officers of various institutions to onboard on e-citizen payment platform within a period of one week.
The directives were issued during the first anniversary of e-citizen Directorate at the Kenya Intervention Convention Center KICC indicating that failure comply would result to all CEOs lose their jobs.
In his speech, the president criticized the decision by the CEOs for bypassing the e-citizen platforms and using alternative payment methods which he claimed to undermine accountability and facilitating corruption.
The president alleged that the heads of those institutions were being dodgy by his directive aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in government operations by ensuring all services and revenue payments are processed through the e-citizen platforms.
The applicant indicated that the president in this country has a history of CEOs being arbitrary fired since the tenure of the first president and this has continued through successive administrations undermining the security of tenure and the principles of fair administrative actions.
The petitioners are complaining about the unlawful acts and omission by the respondents by issuing illegal directives that compel the interested parties to onboard on the e-citizen payment platforms.
The respondents are accused of acting beyond the bounds of the law and also issuing unlawful directives without legal proper authority or in a manner inconsistent with statutory requirements.
The president issued and imposed a one-week deadline for compliance which is unreasonable and unlawful and stated that the directives were issued without inviting the public submitting their views in relation to the matter before making such directives.
President Ruto had threatened to sack all CEOs who would not have complied which constitutes an abuse of power and undermining the tenure of public officers.
The applicants urged the court to intervene and issue the status quo “pending further orders of the court or the hearing of the petition.
The matter was scheduled for mention on January 31, 2025, for the highlight of the written submissions.
