High Court Suspends Waititu's Appointment to Nairobi Rivers Commission

The High Court has temporarily suspended the appointment of former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu to the Nairobi Rivers Commission by President Ruto.

Justice Hedwig Ongudi on Friday barred Waititu from assuming the position pending the hearing and determination of a petition challenging his appointment.

The court further directed that Waititu should not be appointed to any other state or public office until the case filed by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Transparency International is determined.

The matter will be heard on February 27th.

"The interests of justice demand that this petition be fast-tracked and be determined within the shortest time, possible," said the judge.

The two petitioners argue that Waititu, who was removed from office by impeachment by the County Assembly of Kiambu in 2020, is incompetent and unfit for appointment to any public office as a state officer.

“The 1st Respondent lacks the moral aptitude, ethical grounding, beyond reproach integrity and has a greatly questionable character as would depict of a state office worthy to receive any commendations by the Head of State, or appointment to being a state office,” they argue.

They want the court to block Waititu from assuming office at the commission and indefinitely to any public office.

President Ruto announced the appointment of Waititu and eight others to the Nairobi Rivers Commission through a Gazette Notice dated December 2nd, 2022.

Ruto said the commission has been tasked to “reclaim the rivers of Nairobi as a spine to the city’s blue and green infrastructure for a better urban environment and quality of life.”

In addition, the team will examine previous reports and recommendations made to reclaim the Nairobi River and adopt lessons learned in the new initiative.

Other roles of the commission include monitoring compliance with the laws and regulations governing the environment of the Basin and its catchment areas as well as developing codes of conduct and proposing modalities for enforcement in partnership with the relevant stakeholders.

Members of the commission will serve for a three-year renewable once based on performance.