The employment and labour relations court has stopped Kenya National of Chamber of Commerce and Industry from conducting the election of Women In Business Committee chairperson.
This is after the current chairperson Mary Nyachae filed an application seeking to block the said elections slated for 24th January in a city hotel.
Milimani commercial Senior Residents Magistrate Murage issued the order restraining KNCCI and it current president Richard Ngatia by themselves, agents or servants from in any manner conducting or causing the election.
Through lawyer Danstun Omari, the chairperson argues that she was appointed by chamber president Kiprono Kittony on 8th March 2019 and before her appointment she had been endorsed by the chamber at its annual general meeting (AGM) held on 8th February 2019.
Omari told the court that since the exit of former chamber president Kittony and entry of Ngatia, his client has been consistently sidelined, maligned and ignored rendering her an idle chairperson committee against the spirit and letter of her unrevoked appointment.
He added that Nyachae remains committed to her duties as the chairperson to the WIB and a faithful chamber member guided by the objectives, mission and vision of the chamber of Commerce.
The court heard that the applicant received an endorsement after her name, fitness and reputation as a chairperson of women empowerment was thoroughly discussed in the Board of Directors meetings held on 16th January 2019 and consequently received a seal of approval from the board.
“There is no proper, legal, sound or reasonable justification other than malice and ill-will why the only election being held at this time of the year is that the chairperson of WIB committee”, Omari submitted.
Nyachae accuses Ngatia of surreptitiously and sadly convening meetings designed to whip support for a different person to take up the mantle of WIB leadership.
The applicant claims Ngatia’s power or mandate is designed to humiliate, degrade and treat her with contempt as she is the substantive chairperson with powers from the board of directors and endorsement from chamber of Commerce AGM.
