Koinange Loses Compensation Appeal against Former Employee

A Nakuru court has dismissed an appeal by an estate administrator directed to pay a sacked farm manager Ksh 4 million.

The court directed David Waiganjo Koinange to pay Josephat Mpoe, a former manager at Muthera farm, Ksh 5 million and another Ksh 400,000 as salary arrears since January 2011 and outstanding leave pay.

Mpoe, a brother to slain Maasai land rights activist Moses Ole Mpoe, sued Waiganjo over unlawful suspension in September 2013.

The court arrived at the decision after three attempts by Waiganjo to have the court review the February judgment was quashed. Waiganjo did not defend the initial suit.

In the ruling, made in the labour and relations court, Justice Stephen Radido said the case was about fairness of the suspension and non-fulfilment of contractual terms.

The orders, the court heard, requires four appointed administrators of the former powerful minister’s estate to jointly terminate the contract of any employee but Waiganjo took the decision alone.

Prior to his suspension, Mpoe was a farm manager and security head at the Koinange-owned 4,200 acres in Mau Narok.

He was also unilaterally dismissed by Waiganjo who threatened to eject him from his official residence at the farm.