By Kelly Were
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has halted Kiambu County’s recruitment of medical specialists following revelations of major procedural breaches such as interviews being conducted before the official application deadline.
Lady Justice H. Wasilwa, in a ruling delivered on October 20, 2025, issued conservatory orders barring the county government from dismissing current medical staff or hiring new ones until a case filed by Dr. Gathoni Njeri Muriithi is heard and determined.
The decision effectively suspends the county’s ongoing health sector staffing plans amid mounting scrutiny over transparency and administrative fairness in the hiring process.
Dr. Muriithi, a qualified obstetrician and gynaecologist, discovered the irregularities when she visited Kiambu County offices earlier this month, only to learn that interviews had already been conducted on October 13, two days before the application window officially closed.
“It’s like showing up to a race only to find the medals were awarded yesterday,” she remarked, describing her shock at the discovery.
A review of the county’s website confirmed her concerns: a list of shortlisted candidates had been published, complete with interview dates preceding the deadline. The county had also invited public feedback on the shortlisted names by October 10, suggesting the recruitment process had concluded even before applications formally ended.
Dr. Muriithi, who holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Nairobi and recently completed her Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, subsequently moved to court to challenge the process.
Her lawyer, Henry Kurauka, accused the county of breaching constitutional principles and acting in bad faith. “The respondents purported to act capriciously, unjustly, unfairly, irrationally, unreasonably, maliciously, in bad faith, unlawfully and unconstitutionally,” reads part of the court filing.
The petition cites violations of Articles 27, 41, and 47 of the Constitution which cover equality, fair labour practices, and fair administrative action as well as the Fair Administrative Action Act, 2015, and provisions of the County Governments Act.
By certifying the matter as urgent and issuing conservatory orders, Justice Wasilwa acknowledged the potential for irreparable harm both to Dr. Muriithi’s professional prospects and to the integrity of public recruitment processes.
The ruling preserves the status quo within the county’s health department, shielding current medical officers from dismissal and freezing all new appointments until the dispute is resolved.
The case will be heard inter partes on October 28, 2025, when the County Government of Kiambu and its Public Service Board are expected to respond to the allegations.
