Blogger and digital strategist Dennis Itumbi
Blogger and digital strategist Dennis Itumbi has been awarded Sh631,400 by the employment and labor court for his illegal dismissal from the government in 2020.
Itumbi sued the Public Service Commission (PSC), the former State House comptroller, the former Interior Cabinet Secretary, and the ex-Attorney general for wrongful dismissal.
He claimed that by a letter dated July 9, 2014, he was offered the position of Senior Director, Digital, Innovative & Diaspora Communication, Job Group T, for a period of three years effective July 2, 2014.
The agreed starting salary was Sh213,640 which was paid up until July 2, 2015.
It was then increased to Sh232,960 for the period till July 1, 2016. Another increment came on July 1, 2017, when he started earning Sh254,000.
“The Petitioner (Itumbi) avers he accepted the appointment and discharged his duties diligently and fastidiously,” read part of court filings.
Due to his outstanding performance, court papers added that the former State House comptroller notified Itumbi that he had been awarded six years increment for approved experience and his salary rose to Sh302,980 per month.
Itumbi’s contract would later be renewed on May 15, 2018, for a further period of three years and would earn a monthly salary of Sh315,700.
In March 2020, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Itumbi noted that he was informed that his employment had been terminated “on account of abolition of the office following a re-organization of Government.”
Justice Jacob Gakeri, therefore, ruled that the termination was illegal and that he be awarded the equivalent of two months’ salary of Sh631,400 (Sh315,700 times two).
Gakeri said Itumbi was indeed an employee of the Government for about five years and eight months and had no warning letter or disciplinary issue prior to the termination.
