Case ID:136563

Maurice Opon Omom & 128 others v Attorney General [2019] eKLR

Case Metadata

Case Number:

Petition 2 of 2017

Parties:

Maurice Opon Omom, Alexander Odundo Omolo, Charles Owino Pinda, George Thomas Odhiambo, James Moses Otieno Omondi, Julius Seda Ongong’a, Emmanuel Messiah Dongo, William Ogwari Obunga, Abraham Renson Opati, Andrew Lameck Odhiambo, Elijah Anyanga, Jacques Hannington Muga, James Oranyo Midamba, Maurice Okoth Kayugi, Martin Odhiambo Onginjo, Robert Ouma Ogana, Charles Ochieng Omolo, Albert Obonyo, Evans Opino Okoth, James Abonyo Abonyo, John Okello Kisero, Moses Ogalo Ouma, Moses Ogallo Ouma, Jerim Owino Nyamor, James Onango Orucha, Jerim Oluoch Odongo, Davis Obiri Seda, Silas Owino Agao Oguche, Ahbraham Renson Opati, Joseph Ageng’a Onuong’a, Samuel Zachary Okoyo, Evans Juma Owuor, Alexander Odundo Omolo, George Thomas Odhiambo, James Moses Otieno Omondi, Fredrick Owiti, Robert Ouma Ogana, George Wilson Onyango Dianga, Jack Hamilton Mbai, John Omolo Ogola, Joseph Odhiambo Wamiru, Martin Opiyo Mbaga, Ouma Gilbert Okina, Charles Sudhe Gwada, Jektone Kwede Angewo, Hillary Ngau Adero, Emmanuel Masia Dongo, Samuel Obuche Ogawo, Walter Aser Odep, Moses Ogalo Ogoma, Barrack Ochola Osendo, Hillary Onyango Opiyo, Moses Onoka Onyera, Semei Som Okello, Andrew Ouma Otieno, Gasper Ochieng Omolo, Samwel Ondiegi Ochieng, Francis Okoth Odhiambo, Gasper Ochieng Omolo, Gerphas Julu Ogweno, Peter Owino Opondo, Nichodemus Odhiambo Musia, John Okaka Gombe, Joseph Ageng’a Onuong’a, Silas Owino Agao Oguche, Albert Obonyo, Charles Ochieng Omolo, Evans Juma Owuor, Nichodemus Odhiambo Musia, Peter Owino Opondo, Apolo Ochieng’ Amieno, Andrew Lawarence Odhiambo, Elijah Anyanga, Jacques Hannington Muga, Evans Juma Owuor, Emmanuel Masiah Dongo, William Ogwari Obunga, Franco Apudo Otineo, Jackson Azere Aginga, John Otieno Onyimbo Joseph Oriaro Okumu, Leonard Okeyo Obego, Paul Oluoch Owino, Samwel Zachary Okoyo, Washingtononyimbo Mola, James Morris Were, Silvanus Oyange Ndeda, George Owino James, Tom Angang’o Dada, Dismas Ochieng Yiembe, Peter Ochokoh Ochieng, Edward Emacks Okello, Martin Nakhawanga Ogutu, Paul Auma Oselu, Thomas Joshua Were, Samwel Zachary Okoyo, Gerphas Julu Ogweno, John Okaka Gombe, Silas Owino Agao Oguche, Evans Opino Okoth, James Abonyo Obonyo, Andrew Ong’onga Change, John Okello Kisero, Moses Ogalo Ogoma, Charles Ogola Jagongo, George Okumu Obiero, James Sandys Ajigo, Joseph Charles Onyango, Joshua Opiyo Omoro, Oduor Peter, Phillipps Ochieng Boaz, Silvanus Anthony Oghina, William Ojunjus Okech, Paul Ochieng Waudi, Tobias Obilo Obilo, Julius Ongonga Seda, Tom Njura Ogoya, Charles Mauti Oganga, Antony Oloo Ogola, George Owuor Ogola, Maurice Austine Auma Opondo, Raphael Victor Otieno, Alois Cavins Okoth, Francis Okoth Odiambo, Hesbon Obong’o Atieno, Joseph Ageng’a Ounuong’a, Paul Ombewa Rutha, Sisto Owuor Haira & Roy Geno Okola v Attorney General

Date Delivered:

02 May 2019

Case Class:

Civil

Court:

Employment and Labour Relations Court at Kisumu

Case Action:

Ruling

Judge(s):

Mathews Nderi Nduma

Citation:

Maurice Opon Omom & 128 others v Attorney General [2019] eKLR

Advocates:

M/S Alice Muringo Mate State Counsel for the Attorney General

Mr. Agina for the petitioners

Court Division:

Employment and Labour Relations

County:

Kisumu

Advocates:

M/S Alice Muringo Mate State Counsel for the Attorney General

Mr. Agina for the petitioners

History Advocates:

Both Parties Represented

Case Outcome:

Notice of Motion dismissed

Disclaimer:

The information contained in the above segment is not part of the judicial opinion delivered by the Court. The metadata has been prepared by Kenya Law as a guide in understanding the subject of the judicial opinion. Kenya Law makes no warranties as to the comprehensiveness or accuracy of the information

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR RELATIONS COURT AT KISUMU

PETITION NO. 2 OF 2017

(Before Hon. Justice Mathews N. Nduma)

MAURICE OPON OMOM ..........................................................1

ST

PETITIONER

ALEXANDER ODUNDO OMOLO.................................................2

ND

PETITIONER

CHARLES OWINO PINDA..............................................................3

RD

PETITIONER

GEORGE THOMAS ODHIAMBO..................................................4

TH

PETITIONER

JAMES MOSES OTIENO OMONDI..............................................5

TH

PETITIONER

JULIUS SEDA ONGONG’A.............................................................6

TH

PETITIONER

EMMANUEL MESSIAH DONGO....................................................7

TH

PETITIONER

WILLIAM OGWARI OBUNGA........................................................8

TH

PETITIONER

ABRAHAM RENSON OPATI............................................................9

TH

PETITIONER

ANDREW LAMECK ODHIAMBO.................................................10

TH

PETITIONER

ELIJAH ANYANGA...........................................................................11

TH

PETITIONER

JACQUES HANNINGTON MUGA..................................................12

TH

PETITIONER

JAMES ORANYO MIDAMBA..........................................................13

TH

PETITIONER

MAURICE OKOTH KAYUGI...........................................................14

TH

PETITIONER

MARTIN ODHIAMBO ONGINJO...................................................15

TH

PETITIONER

ROBERT OUMA OGANA.................................................................16

TH

PETITIONER

CHARLES OCHIENG OMOLO......................................................17

TH

PETITIONER

ALBERT OBONYO...........................................................................18

TH

PETITIONER

EVANS OPINO OKOTH..................................................................19

TH

PETITIONER

JAMES ABONYO ABONYO..........................................................20

TH

PETITIONER

JOHN OKELLO KISERO...............................................................21

ST

PETITIONER

MOSES OGALO OUMA................................................................22

ND

PETITIONER

MOSES OGALLO OUMA..............................................................23

RD

PETITIONER

JERIM OWINO NYAMOR............................................................24

TH

PETITIONER

JAMES ONANGO ORUCHA........................................................25

TH

PETITIONER

JERIM OLUOCH ODONGO........................................................26

TH

PETITIONER

DAVIS OBIRI SEDA......................................................................27

TH

PETITIONER

SILAS OWINO AGAO OGUCHE...............................................28

TH

PETITIONER

AHBRAHAM RENSON OPATI...................................................29

TH

PETITIONER

JOSEPH AGENG’A ONUONG’A.................................................30

TH

PETITONER

SAMUEL ZACHARY OKOYO....................................................31

ST

PETITIONER

EVANS JUMA OWUOR...............................................................32

ND

PETITIONER

ALEXANDER ODUNDO OMOLO............................................33

RD

PETITIONER

GEORGE THOMAS ODHIAMBO............................................34

TH

PETITIONER

JAMES MOSES OTIENO OMONDI......................................35

TH

PETITIONNER

FREDRICK OWITI.....................................................................36

TH

PETITIONER

ROBERT OUMA OGANA.........................................................37

TH

PETITIONER

GEORGE WILSON ONYANGO DIANGA..............................38

TH

PETITIONER

JACK HAMILTON MBAI.........................................................39

TH

PETITIONER

JOHN OMOLO OGOLA...........................................................40

TH

PETITIONER

JOSEPH ODHIAMBO WAMIRU.............................................41

ST

PETITIONER

MARTIN OPIYO MBAGA.......................................................42

ND

PETITIONER

OUMA GILBERT OKINA.......................................................43

RD

PETITIONER

CHARLES SUDHE GWADA...................................................44

TH

PETITIONER

JEKTONE KWEDE ANGEWO..............................................45

TH

PETITIONER

HILLARY NGAU ADERO......................................................46

TH

PETITIONER

EMMANUEL MASIA DONGO..............................................47

TH

PETITIONER

SAMUEL OBUCHE OGAWO................................................48

TH

PETITIONER

WALTER ASER ODEP............................................................49

TH

PETITIONER

MOSES OGALO OGOMA.....................................................50

TH

PETITIONER

BARRACK OCHOLA OSENDO............................................51

ST

PETITIONER

HILLARY ONYANGO OPIYO..............................................52

ND

PETITIONER

MOSES ONOKA ONYERA...................................................53

RD

PETITIONER

SEMEI SOM OKELLO..........................................................54

TH

PETITIONER

ANDREW OUMA OTIENO..................................................55

TH

PETITIONER

GASPER OCHIENG OMOLO.............................................56

TH

PETITIONER

SAMWEL ONDIEGI OCHIENG........................................57

TH

PETITIONER

FRANCIS OKOTH ODHIAMBO........................................58

TH

PETITIONER

GASPER OCHIENG OMOLO............................................59

TH

PETITIONER

GERPHAS JULU OGWENO..............................................60

TH

PETITIONER

PETER OWINO OPONDO..................................................61

ST

PETITIONER

NICHODEMUS ODHIAMBO MUSIA..............................62

ND

PETITIONER

JOHN OKAKA GOMBE.....................................................63

RD

PETITIONER

JOSEPH AGENG’A ONUONG’A......................................64

TH

PETITIONER

SILAS OWINO AGAO OGUCHE.....................................65

TH

PETITIONER

ALBERT OBONYO.............................................................66

TH

PETITIONER

CHARLES OCHIENG OMOLO........................................67

TH

PETITIONER

EVANS JUMA OWUOR......................................................68

TH

PETITIONER

NICHODEMUS ODHIAMBO MUSIA..............................69

TH

PETITIONER

PETER OWINO OPONDO.................................................70

TH

PETITIONER

APOLO OCHIENG’ AMIENO...........................................71

ST

PETITIONER

ANDREW LAWARENCE ODHIAMBO............................72

ND

PETITIONER

ELIJAH ANYANGA.............................................................73

RD

PETITIONER

JACQUES HANNINGTON MUGA...................................74

TH

PETITIONER

EVANS JUMA OWUOR......................................................75

TH

PETITIONER

EMMANUEL MASIAH DONGO.......................................76

TH

PETITIONER

WILLIAM OGWARI OBUNGA..........................................77

TH

PETITIONER

FRANCO APUDO OTINEO................................................78

TH

PETITIONER

JACKSON AZERE AGINGA..............................................79

TH

PETITIONER

JOHN OTIENO ONYIMBO................................................80

TH

PETITIONER

JOSEPH ORIARO OKUMU.................................................81

ST

PETITIONER

LEONARD OKEYO OBEGO..............................................82

ND

PETITIONER

PAUL OLUOCH OWINO.....................................................83

RD

PETITIONER

SAMWEL ZACHARY OKOYO...........................................84

TH

PETITIONER

WASHINGTONONYIMBO MOLA.....................................85

TH

PETITIONER

JAMES MORRIS WERE......................................................86

TH

PETITIONER

SILVANUS OYANGE NDEDA..............................................87

TH

PETITIONER

GEORGE OWINO JAMES..................................................88

TH

PETITIONER

TOM ANGANG’O DADA....................................................89

TH

PETITIONER

DISMAS OCHIENG YIEMBE............................................90

TH

PETITIONER

PETER OCHOKOH OCHIENG.........................................91

ST

PETITIONER

EDWARD EMACKS OKELLO..........................................92

ND

PETITIONER

MARTIN NAKHAWANGA OGUTU..................................93

RD

PETITIONER

PAUL AUMA OSELU..........................................................94

TH

PETITIONER

THOMAS JOSHUA WERE................................................95

TH

PETITIONER

SAMWEL ZACHARY OKOYO........................................96

TH

PETITIONER

GERPHAS JULU OGWENO.............................................97

TH

PETITIONER

JOHN OKAKA GOMBE....................................................98

TH

PETITIONER

SILAS OWINO AGAO OGUCHE.....................................99

TH

PETITIONER

EVANS OPINO OKOTH...................................................100

TH

PETITIONER

JAMES ABONYO OBONYO............................................101

ST

PETITIONER

ANDREW ONG’ONGA CHANGE..................................102

ND

PETITIONER

JOHN OKELLO KISERO................................................103

RD

PETITIONER

MOSES OGALO OGOMA...............................................104

TH

PETITIONER

CHARLES OGOLA JAGONGO.....................................105

TH

PETITIONER

GEORGE OKUMU OBIERO..........................................106

TH

PETITIONER

JAMES SANDYS AJIGO.................................................107

TH

PETITIONER

JOSEPH CHARLES ONYANGO....................................108

TH

PETITIONER

JOSHUA OPIYO OMORO..............................................109

TH

PETITIONER

ODUOR PETER................................................................110

TH

PETITIONER

PHILLIPPS OCHIENG BOAZ........................................111

TH

PETITIONER

SILVANUS ANTHONY OGHINA...................................112

TH

PETITIONER

WILLIAM OJUNJUS OKECH.......................................113

TH

PETITIONER

PAUL OCHIENG WAUDI...............................................114

TH

PETITIONER

TOBIAS OBILO OBILO.................................................115

TH

PETITIONER

JULIUS ONGONGA SEDA............................................116

TH

PETITIONER

TOM NJURA OGOYA....................................................117

TH

PETITIONER

CHARLES MAUTI OGANGA.......................................118

TH

PETITIONER

ANTONY OLOO OGOLA..............................................119

TH

PETITIONER

GEORGE OWUOR OGOLA..........................................120

TH

PETITIONER

MAURICE AUSTINE AUMA OPONDO......................121

ST

PETITIONER

RAPHAEL VICTOR OTIENO......................................122

ND

PETITIONER

ALOIS CAVINS OKOTH...............................................123

RD

PETITIONER

FRANCIS OKOTH ODIAMBO....................................124

TH

PETITIONER

HESBON OBONG’O ATIENO.....................................125

TH

PETITIONER

JOSEPH AGENG’A OUNUONG’A.............................126

TH

PETITIONER

PAUL OMBEWA RUTHA............................................127

TH

PETITIONER

SISTO OWUOR HAIRA...............................................128

TH

PETITIONER

ROY GENO OKOLA....................................................129

TH

PETITIONER

VERSUS

THE HON. ATTORNEY GENERAL..................................RESPONDENT

RULING

1. The application dated 20

th

July 2018 and filed on 24

th

July 2018 sought to strike out the Supporting Affidavits to the petition on the grounds that same are incurably defective in that they are commissioned by the petitioner’s Advocate contrary to the law. That some of the signatures on the Supporting Affidavits appear forged. That some of the petitioner’s never signed the Supporting Affidavits as unverified signatures have been cut out and pasted in the petition.

2. That all Affidavits were commissioned by a person who has an interest in the mater contrary to clear provisions of the law.

3. The petitioners filed notice of preliminary objection on points of law to have the notice of motion struck off on grounds that the application is frivorous, misconceived and abuse of court process.

4. That the notice of motion is not supported by any affidavit. That what purports to be an affidavit in support is deponed to by Alice Muringo Mate a legal officer without authorization from neither the cabinet secretary nor the principal secretary Department of Defence and is therefore incompetent.

5. That the Motion as filed offends the

constitution [Protection of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms] Practice and Procedure Rules 2013

. That the motion be struck off.

6. On the date the motion was to be argued, counsel Agina for the petitioner applied to withdraw all the Supporting Affidavits.

7. The court obliged and made an order marking all the Supporting Affidavits to the petition as withdrawn.

8. M/S Ayuma for the applicant/respondent went on to submit that the petitioners having withdrawn the supporting affidavits to the petition, the petition remains non-supported and it be struck –off. That in terms of the

Constitution [Protection of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms] Practice and Procedure Rule 2013

, populary known as the Mutunga Rules, the petition maybe supported or not by affidavits but the petitioners had elected to file supporting affidavits in support of the petition which they had now withdrawn from this Bar. Therefore the application be granted to strike the petition off.

9. Counsel Agina for the petitioners in reply submitted that in terms of the Mutunga Rules, there was no requirement to have a petition supported by affidavit. That this was a matter of choice. That the petition as filed without supporting affidavits is proper and sound and the court ought to proceed to hear and determine the petition as it is.

10. Mr. Agina further argued that the Notice of Motion before court is grossly defective since it is supported by an Affidavit of counsel on record, M/S Muringo Mate who is not an officer of the Ministry of defence and has no authority to swear the affidavit on behalf of the Ministry. That the application is defective and it be dismissed and the court proceeds to give directions on the hearing and determination of the application.

11. For the record, Supporting Affidavits commissioned by an advocate in conduct of the same matter the affidavits are meant to support offends the provisions of the Oaths and Statutory Declaration Act Chapter 15 of the laws of Kenya.

Section 4(1) of the Act reads

“4(1) A commissioner of Oaths may by virtue of his commissioning in any part of Kenya, administer any oath or take any affidavit for the purpose of any court or matter in Kenya including matters ecclesiastical and matters relating to the registration of any instrument; whether under an act or otherwise, and take any bail or recognizance in or for the purpose of any civil proceeding in the court or any subordinate court provided that a commissioner for oath shall not exercise any of the powers given by this section in any proceeding or matters in which he is the advocate for any of the parties to the proceeding or concerned in the matters or clerk to any such advocate or in which he is interested.

See Caltex Oil Kenya Ltd vs New Stadium Service Station Ltd and Another. [2002] eKLR per Otieno Onyango- J.

12. The Supporting Affidavits now withdrawn were clearly defective and were correctly withdrawn.

13. The next issue for determination is whether a petition may stand alone without supporting affidavits of the petitioners.

14. In the matter, both counsel for the parties agree that it is not a requirement under Mutunga Rules 2013 to have a constitutional petition be supported by affidavit. It is indeed sufficient that grounds in support of the petition are set out in the petition itself.

Rule 10 provides the form of petition as follows:

“(2) The petition shall disclose the following:

(a) The petitioner’s name and address;

(b) The facts relied upon;

(c) The constitutional provision violated;

(d) The nature of injury caused or likely to be caused to the petitioner or the person in whose name the petitioner has instituted the suit on in a public interest case to the public, class of persons or community;

(e) Details regarding any civil or criminal case, involving the petitioner or any of the petitioners, which is related to the matters in issue in the petition.

(f) The petition shall be signed by the petitioner or advocate of the petitioner; and

(g) The relief sought by the petitioner.”

15. There is no other mandatory requirement in filing a petition. None can therefore be implied to deny a person the right to institute a petition. Support of a petition by sworn affidavit is therefore a matter left to the discretion of a petitioner. Affidavit filed in support may equally be withdrawn by the petitioner without affecting the validity of the petition.

16. Accordingly, the Notice of Motion to strike out the petition on grounds that it is supported by defective affidavits lack merit and is dismissed with costs in the cause.

Ruling Dated, Signed and delivered this 2

nd

day of May, 2019

Mathews N. Nduma

Judge

Appearances

M/S Alice Muringo Mate State Counsel for the Attorney General

Mr. Agina for the petitioners

Chrispo – Court Clerk