The Employment and Labour Relations Court has barred Parliament from vetting Principal Secretary (PS) nominees appointed by President William Ruto.
In a ruling on Tuesday, November 15, by Justice Nzioki Makau, the vetting process was suspended until an application by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) was heard and determined.
Justice Nzioki barred Parliament from receiving any further list of nominees, therefore suspending the whole exercise.
"Pending hearing of this application inter partes on 21st November 2022 a conservatory order does and is hereby issued restraining and/or barring the Respondents from receiving or if already received the list of nominees, barring the processing, vetting, or in any way proceeding or processing the nomination for appointment of the 51 PS nominees," read the ruling.
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The ruling comes after Parliament began vetting the PS nominees on Monday, November 15, with a number of nominees already having faced the panel.
LSK had challenged the appointment of the nominees, saying that it lacked regional balance, gender equality and that there was no balance in youth and people living with disabilities.
The Parliament Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning chaired by Molo MP Kimani Kuria, has already vetted Dr. Chris Kiptoo (National Treasury) and James Muhati (Economic Planning) among others.
Reacting to the ruling, Senator Boni Khalwale said," Dead on arrival. Courts cannot dictate parliamentary agenda. They must wait to make a determination of constitutionalty, legality & validity of parliamentary decisions. Vetting will go on."
