Court closes petition challenging Kenya Prisons recruitment criteria

The petitioner, Peter Agoro, had sued the State Law Office, the Commission on Administrative Justice and other parties.

The court directed that the matter be marked as settled after the parties informed the court that the dispute had been resolved.

The matter was before Justice Jacob Gakeri, who ordered that the file be closed. 

The petitioner, Agoro, had challenged a recruitment advertisement by the Kenya Prisons Service for cadet officers, professionals, artisans and technicians. The petitioners argued that the recruitment criteria were discriminatory and unfair to serving prison officers who had upgraded their academic qualifications while in service.

In a replying affidavit filed in court, Public Service Commission Secretary and CEO Paul Famba admitted that the recruitment advertisement introduced a Master’s degree requirement for promotion to the rank of Inspector of Prisons contrary to the Revised Scheme of Service for Prisons Uniformed Personnel, 2014, which only required a bachelor’s degree.

In a supplementary affidavit, Agoro maintained that any fresh recruitment or promotion exercise must strictly comply with the existing scheme of service and sought the removal of the Master’s degree requirement for officers seeking promotion into the Inspectorate ranks.

The petitioners had also asked the court to ensure that qualified serving officers who attained bachelor’s degrees while in service are prioritised for promotion in line with Article 232 of the Constitution.

The matter has now officially been marked as settled and closed.