Former State House Digital Secretary Dennis Itumbi has been awarded Ksh 630,000 as compensation for unfair dismissal by the former government.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court judge Jacob Gakeri ruled that State House did not comply with the employment law when sacking the digital activist.
“The respondents may have had a valid and fair reason to terminate the petitioner’s employment but did not comply with the requirements of the provisions of the Employment Act, 2007, to guarantee procedural fairness in the process,” Justice Gikeri stated.
The Employment Act of 2007 outlines the necessary procedure to be followed while terminating and summarily dismissing an employee. This means that whichever party initiates the termination must provide proper notice or compensate the other party in place of notice.
Itumbi said that he was fired during the mid-pandemic because his office was disbanded owing to reorganization.
The digital strategist claimed that his dismissal did not follow the proper legal procedure. Itumbi, who was hired on July 9, 2014, sued the Public Service Commission (PSC) for bias while also resigning from his position.
PSC had responded that the State House was attempting to create another post for him under the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU).
The blogger is now working with President William Ruto having played a key role in his campaigns.
“Huyu ofisi yake inaitwa come here go there. Huyu ni mtu ya Rais ya mkono. Hana ofisi yoyote pale lakini ndio mwenyewe. Anapanga hapa, anapanga hapo anapanga pale,” DP Gachagua said on Sunday January 22 in Kirinyaga County.
Itumbi played an important role in defending the Ruto campaign against opponents and detractors during and after the 2022 presidential election.
He was also part of the Kenya Kwanza team, which ran a parallel tallying center during the 2022 national election in August.
Also Read: Gachagua Alleges How DCI Wanted to Murder Dennis Itumbi
