[2020] KECA 954 (KLR)

[2020] KECA 954 (KLR)

The Court of Appeal held that the doctrine of restrictive immunity, as recognized in Kenyan and international jurisprudence, applies to employment contracts between foreign diplomatic missions and their locally employed staff. The court found that such contracts are matters of private law and do not fall within the...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2020] KECA 954 (KLR)
Parties
Appellant: Embassy Of Sweden Nairobi; Respondent: Lucy Muingo Kusewa; Respondent: Renald Mbonje Mjomba
Court
Court of Appeal
Court Station
Court of Appeal at Nairobi
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Civil Appeal 345 of 2017
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Judgment
Outcome
appeal dismissed
Judges
W Karanja, HM Okwengu, F Sichale
Legal Topics
Diplomatic Immunity, Restrictive Immunity, Employment Contracts, Jurisdiction of Elrc, State Immunity, Access to Justice
Source Language
en
Employment and Labour Public International Law Diplomatic Immunity Restrictive Immunity Employment Contracts Jurisdiction of Elrc State Immunity Access to Justice

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Parties

Embassy Of Sweden Nairobi

Appellant

Lucy Muingo Kusewa

Respondent

Renald Mbonje Mjomba

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Judgment

  1. 1 Whether the principle of diplomatic immunity applies to the Embassy of Sweden Nairobi in employment disputes with locally employed staff.
  2. 2 Whether the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) has jurisdiction over employment disputes involving foreign diplomatic missions and their local employees.
  3. 3 Whether the doctrine of restrictive immunity excludes employment contracts from the scope of state immunity.

Ratio Decidendi

The Court of Appeal held that the doctrine of restrictive immunity, as recognized in Kenyan and international jurisprudence, applies to employment contracts between foreign diplomatic missions and their locally employed staff. The court found that such contracts are matters of private law and do not fall within the scope of sovereign acts protected by state immunity. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, as domesticated by the Privileges and Immunities Act, primarily protects diplomatic agents and not the mission itself in employment disputes. The court further recognized that the principles embodied in the United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States...

Court Disposition

appeal dismissed

Orders

  • The appeal is dismissed with costs to the respondents.
  • The Employment and Labour Relations Court has jurisdiction to entertain the labour dispute between the parties.