- This happened before her official secondment by the former employer contrary to the County Governments Act 2012
- Gathoni said she was not aware of the existence of a petition against her
Image: HILTON OTENYO
A petition to remove Kakamega county Public Board CEO Catherine Gathoni has been filed in the county assembly.
The petition filed by Jacktosh Wakutuya on January 17, seeks to remove Gathoni for allegedly earning two salaries, from Kakamega and Nakuru county at the same time.
This happened before her official secondment by the former employer contrary to the County Governments Act 2012.
Wakutuya said Gathoni served Kakamega county with a letter of secondment by Nakuru county, nine months after accepting and assuming her appointment as the board CEO by former governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
The secondment period was between April 15, 2021 and March 31, 2024.
He said the CEO was drawing per diems, airtime allowances, was using Kakamega county vehicles during the nine months before secondment.
“If Nakuru county caused their employer to work in Kakamega county without her resignation, then she's in violation of section 58 (3G) of the County Governments Act 2012," Wakutuya said.
"Holding several jobs is a serious matter that EACC has highlighted and is actively pursuing in the country, with very decisive and consistent outcomes."
The petitioner wants the matter forwarded to EACC for further investigations and recommendations.
He wants Gathoni surcharged for all money earned from Kakamega county for the nine months.
But reached on phone yesterday, Gathoni said she was not aware of the existence of a petition against her.
She dismissed any that could exist as malicious and mere witch-hunt.
The CEO said she was released by Nakuru county on secondment to Kakamega for three years and has never earned two salaries as claimed by the petitioner.
“Yes I was in Nakuru but never was on two payrolls. The personnel number is unique and can’t be used twice. Even the Public Service Commission couldn’t have reinstated me when I appealed my removal, if I was on two payrolls,” Gathoni said on phone.
She denied closing board offices adding that the offices were open and working.
“There is no court order that has been served to me or my office on whatsoever matter by anyone. You can’t disobey orders that don’t exist in the first place,” Gathoni said.
Oparanya appointed Gathoni CEO for a six-year none renewable term through a letter dated October 10, 2020.
He later released her back to Nakuru in a letter dated October 19, 2021 on grounds that she had not resigned from her employment before accepting the job offer.
Gathoni then contested her removal at the PSC which reinstated her.
The onslaught on the CEO comes barely a month after another petitioner successfully petitioned the impeachment of four of the six members of the board.
The four were impeached on grounds of violation of the Constitution and state laws, abuse of office, gross misconduct and incompetence.
The four Catherine Omweno (chairperson) and members; Raph Wangatis, Joel Omukoko and Stanley Were have since moved to the Employment and Labour Court to challenge their removal.
Two earlier petitions to impeach the board members collapsed after petitioners withdrew their complaints before a hearing by the county assembly began.