The High Court has reinstated troubled Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) Director General Pavel Oimeke, after months of push and pull with the board.
Oimeke’s first term at the helm was set to expire on August 1, but was reappointed for another three-year-term on July 27.
A petitioner, Emannuel Wanjala, moved to court to block his re-appointment, accusing him of colluding with illegal LPG dealers, nepotism, tribalism and favouritism.
Omieke’s appointment was hence shelved, awaiting hearing and determination of the case.
In her ruling, Justice Hellen Wasilwa dismissed Wanjala’s petition for lack of merit and ordered the immediate reinstatement of Oimeke.
Read: EPRA Names Mueni Mutung’a As Acting Director General To Replace Pavel Oimeke
“In the circumstances, I found that the application did not have merit and therefore I dismissed it and ordered that the status quo of the first respondent be reinstated immediately as the DG. I had stayed that position because I thought that he had not been appointed, but he has been appointed and rightly so. And therefore he is reinstated as the DG effective immediately,” ruled Justice Wasilwa.
The court also found that the evidence relied upon by the petitioner was obtained illegally, hence, could not be relied upon.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) confirmed it had not received any complaints against him over corruption or breaching the ethical requirements of the constitution.
In August, Mueni Mutung’a was appointed by the board as the acting director general after Oimeke’s appointment was shelved.
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