Man seeks Sh 1.3m from Nairobi Water for unlawful sacking
A Nairobi man is seeking Sh 1.3 million awarded to him by the labour court for unlawful dismissal by his former employer Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company.
Solomon Githae Irungu who had worked for the company for 10 years was dismissed after disconnecting the water meter of apartments owned by a senior official.
Mr Githae, 42, sought redress in court and on June 29, 2016, Judge Mathews Nduma ruled that he be paid Sh 1.3 million.
“The claimant proved on a balance of probability that he is owed a sum of Sh 448,672 in this respect. The court awards him accordingly; In the final analysis the court makes the following orders, respondent to pay the Claimant Sh1,341,068.88,” read the judgment.
The Nairobi Water Company is yet to pay Mr Githae the amount awarded to him by the court.
When contacted by Nairobi News, the company’s PR Officer Mbaruku Vyakweli said they had appealed against the High Court’s verdict as the employee was dismissed as a result of gross misconduct.
Mr Vyakweli added that the appeal is scheduled to be heard during the first week of December.
COURT ORDER
Mr Githae on his part however stated that he was yet to be served after the said appeal was filed and suspects that the company was just avoiding to comply with the court orders.
“They actually told me that ‘nitazunguka hadi nichoke’ when I kept following up the matter at the office,” he added.
For now, the former reconnection/disconnection supervisor relies on menial jobs within the city estates for survival.
The father of two is the sole bread winner of his family and his children are in a Nairobi school.
He has resorted to writing to different institutions to compel the company to pay him the Sh 1.3 million. On September 14, 2016 he wrote to the office of the President and the letter was received at Harambee House.
On October 21, 2016, Mr Githae wrote to the office of the Chief Justice David Maraga “requesting for intervention for justice to prevail.”
He now awaits response from the offices and guidance on how to compel the company to obey the court order as according to him, no appeal has been filed.
