[2019] KEELRC 2560 (KLR)

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR RELATIONS COURT AT KISUMU

PETITION NO. 2 OF 2017

(Before Hon. Justice Mathews N. Nduma)

MAURICE OPON OMOM ..........................................................1ST PETITIONER

ALEXANDER ODUNDO OMOLO.................................................2ND PETITIONER

CHARLES OWINO PINDA..............................................................3RD PETITIONER

GEORGE THOMAS ODHIAMBO..................................................4TH PETITIONER

JAMES MOSES OTIENO OMONDI..............................................5TH PETITIONER

JULIUS SEDA ONGONG’A.............................................................6TH PETITIONER

EMMANUEL MESSIAH DONGO....................................................7TH PETITIONER

WILLIAM OGWARI OBUNGA........................................................8TH PETITIONER

ABRAHAM RENSON OPATI............................................................9TH PETITIONER

ANDREW LAMECK ODHIAMBO.................................................10TH PETITIONER

ELIJAH ANYANGA...........................................................................11TH PETITIONER

JACQUES HANNINGTON MUGA..................................................12TH PETITIONER

JAMES ORANYO MIDAMBA..........................................................13TH PETITIONER

MAURICE OKOTH KAYUGI...........................................................14TH PETITIONER

MARTIN ODHIAMBO ONGINJO...................................................15TH PETITIONER

ROBERT OUMA OGANA.................................................................16TH PETITIONER

CHARLES OCHIENG OMOLO......................................................17TH PETITIONER

ALBERT OBONYO...........................................................................18TH PETITIONER

EVANS OPINO OKOTH..................................................................19TH PETITIONER

JAMES ABONYO ABONYO..........................................................20TH PETITIONER

JOHN OKELLO KISERO...............................................................21ST PETITIONER

MOSES OGALO OUMA................................................................22ND PETITIONER

MOSES OGALLO OUMA..............................................................23RD PETITIONER

JERIM OWINO NYAMOR............................................................24TH PETITIONER

JAMES ONANGO ORUCHA........................................................25TH PETITIONER

JERIM OLUOCH ODONGO........................................................26TH PETITIONER

DAVIS OBIRI SEDA......................................................................27TH PETITIONER

SILAS OWINO AGAO OGUCHE...............................................28TH PETITIONER

AHBRAHAM RENSON OPATI...................................................29TH PETITIONER

JOSEPH AGENG’A ONUONG’A.................................................30TH PETITONER

SAMUEL ZACHARY OKOYO....................................................31ST PETITIONER

EVANS JUMA OWUOR...............................................................32ND PETITIONER

ALEXANDER ODUNDO OMOLO............................................33RD PETITIONER

GEORGE THOMAS ODHIAMBO............................................34TH PETITIONER

JAMES MOSES OTIENO OMONDI......................................35TH PETITIONNER

FREDRICK OWITI.....................................................................36TH PETITIONER

ROBERT OUMA OGANA.........................................................37TH PETITIONER

GEORGE WILSON ONYANGO DIANGA..............................38TH PETITIONER

JACK HAMILTON MBAI.........................................................39TH PETITIONER

JOHN OMOLO OGOLA...........................................................40TH PETITIONER

JOSEPH ODHIAMBO WAMIRU.............................................41ST PETITIONER

MARTIN OPIYO MBAGA.......................................................42ND PETITIONER

OUMA GILBERT OKINA.......................................................43RD PETITIONER

CHARLES SUDHE GWADA...................................................44TH PETITIONER

JEKTONE KWEDE ANGEWO..............................................45TH PETITIONER

HILLARY NGAU ADERO......................................................46TH PETITIONER

EMMANUEL MASIA DONGO..............................................47TH PETITIONER

SAMUEL OBUCHE OGAWO................................................48TH PETITIONER

WALTER ASER ODEP............................................................49TH PETITIONER

MOSES OGALO OGOMA.....................................................50TH PETITIONER

BARRACK OCHOLA OSENDO............................................51ST PETITIONER

HILLARY ONYANGO OPIYO..............................................52ND PETITIONER

MOSES ONOKA ONYERA...................................................53RD PETITIONER

SEMEI SOM OKELLO..........................................................54TH PETITIONER

ANDREW OUMA OTIENO..................................................55TH PETITIONER

GASPER OCHIENG OMOLO.............................................56TH PETITIONER

SAMWEL ONDIEGI OCHIENG........................................57TH PETITIONER

FRANCIS OKOTH ODHIAMBO........................................58TH PETITIONER

GASPER OCHIENG OMOLO............................................59TH PETITIONER

GERPHAS JULU OGWENO..............................................60TH PETITIONER

PETER OWINO OPONDO..................................................61ST PETITIONER

NICHODEMUS ODHIAMBO MUSIA..............................62ND PETITIONER

JOHN OKAKA GOMBE.....................................................63RD PETITIONER

JOSEPH AGENG’A ONUONG’A......................................64TH PETITIONER

SILAS OWINO AGAO OGUCHE.....................................65TH PETITIONER

ALBERT OBONYO.............................................................66TH PETITIONER

CHARLES OCHIENG OMOLO........................................67TH PETITIONER

EVANS JUMA OWUOR......................................................68TH PETITIONER

NICHODEMUS ODHIAMBO MUSIA..............................69TH PETITIONER

PETER OWINO OPONDO.................................................70TH PETITIONER

APOLO OCHIENG’ AMIENO...........................................71ST PETITIONER

ANDREW LAWARENCE ODHIAMBO............................72ND PETITIONER

ELIJAH ANYANGA.............................................................73RD PETITIONER

JACQUES HANNINGTON MUGA...................................74TH PETITIONER

EVANS JUMA OWUOR......................................................75TH PETITIONER

EMMANUEL MASIAH DONGO.......................................76TH PETITIONER

WILLIAM OGWARI OBUNGA..........................................77TH PETITIONER

FRANCO APUDO OTINEO................................................78TH PETITIONER

JACKSON AZERE AGINGA..............................................79TH PETITIONER

JOHN OTIENO ONYIMBO................................................80TH PETITIONER

JOSEPH ORIARO OKUMU.................................................81ST PETITIONER

LEONARD OKEYO OBEGO..............................................82ND PETITIONER

PAUL OLUOCH OWINO.....................................................83RD PETITIONER

SAMWEL ZACHARY OKOYO...........................................84TH PETITIONER

WASHINGTONONYIMBO MOLA.....................................85TH PETITIONER

JAMES MORRIS WERE......................................................86TH PETITIONER

SILVANUS OYANGE NDEDA..............................................87TH PETITIONER

GEORGE OWINO JAMES..................................................88TH PETITIONER

TOM ANGANG’O DADA....................................................89TH PETITIONER

DISMAS OCHIENG YIEMBE............................................90TH PETITIONER

PETER OCHOKOH OCHIENG.........................................91ST PETITIONER

EDWARD EMACKS OKELLO..........................................92ND PETITIONER

MARTIN NAKHAWANGA OGUTU..................................93RD PETITIONER

PAUL AUMA OSELU..........................................................94TH PETITIONER

THOMAS JOSHUA WERE................................................95TH PETITIONER

SAMWEL ZACHARY OKOYO........................................96TH PETITIONER

GERPHAS JULU OGWENO.............................................97TH PETITIONER

JOHN OKAKA GOMBE....................................................98TH PETITIONER

SILAS OWINO AGAO OGUCHE.....................................99TH PETITIONER

EVANS OPINO OKOTH...................................................100TH PETITIONER

JAMES ABONYO OBONYO............................................101ST PETITIONER

ANDREW ONG’ONGA CHANGE..................................102ND PETITIONER

JOHN OKELLO KISERO................................................103RD PETITIONER

MOSES OGALO OGOMA...............................................104TH PETITIONER

CHARLES OGOLA JAGONGO.....................................105TH PETITIONER

GEORGE OKUMU OBIERO..........................................106TH PETITIONER

JAMES SANDYS AJIGO.................................................107TH PETITIONER

JOSEPH CHARLES ONYANGO....................................108TH PETITIONER

JOSHUA OPIYO OMORO..............................................109TH PETITIONER

ODUOR PETER................................................................110TH PETITIONER

PHILLIPPS OCHIENG BOAZ........................................111TH PETITIONER

SILVANUS ANTHONY OGHINA...................................112TH PETITIONER

WILLIAM OJUNJUS OKECH.......................................113TH PETITIONER

PAUL OCHIENG WAUDI...............................................114TH PETITIONER

TOBIAS OBILO OBILO.................................................115TH PETITIONER

JULIUS ONGONGA SEDA............................................116TH PETITIONER

TOM NJURA OGOYA....................................................117TH PETITIONER

CHARLES MAUTI OGANGA.......................................118TH PETITIONER

ANTONY OLOO OGOLA..............................................119TH PETITIONER

GEORGE OWUOR OGOLA..........................................120TH PETITIONER

MAURICE AUSTINE AUMA OPONDO......................121ST PETITIONER

RAPHAEL VICTOR OTIENO......................................122ND PETITIONER

ALOIS CAVINS OKOTH...............................................123RD PETITIONER

FRANCIS OKOTH ODIAMBO....................................124TH PETITIONER

HESBON OBONG’O ATIENO.....................................125TH PETITIONER

JOSEPH AGENG’A OUNUONG’A.............................126TH PETITIONER

PAUL OMBEWA RUTHA............................................127TH PETITIONER

SISTO OWUOR HAIRA...............................................128TH PETITIONER

ROY GENO OKOLA....................................................129TH PETITIONER

VERSUS

THE HON. ATTORNEY GENERAL..................................RESPONDENT

RULING

1. The application dated 20th July 2018 and filed on 24th July 2018 sought to strike out the Supporting Affidavits to the petition on the grounds that same are incurably defective in that they are commissioned by the petitioner’s Advocate contrary to the law. That some of the signatures on the Supporting Affidavits appear forged. That some of the petitioner’s never signed the Supporting Affidavits as unverified signatures have been cut out and pasted in the petition.

2. That all Affidavits were commissioned by a person who has an interest in the mater contrary to clear provisions of the law.

3. The petitioners filed notice of preliminary objection on points of law to have the notice of motion struck off on grounds that the application is frivorous, misconceived and abuse of court process.

4. That the notice of motion is not supported by any affidavit. That what purports to be an affidavit in support is deponed to by Alice Muringo Mate a legal officer without authorization from neither the cabinet secretary nor the principal secretary Department of Defence and is therefore incompetent.

5. That the Motion as filed offends the constitution [Protection of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms] Practice and Procedure Rules 2013. That the motion be struck off.

6. On the date the motion was to be argued, counsel Agina for the petitioner applied to withdraw all the Supporting Affidavits.

7. The court obliged and made an order marking all the Supporting Affidavits to the petition as withdrawn.

8. M/S Ayuma for the applicant/respondent went on to submit that the petitioners having withdrawn the supporting affidavits to the petition, the petition remains non-supported and it be struck –off. That in terms of the Constitution [Protection of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms] Practice and Procedure Rule 2013, populary known as the Mutunga Rules, the petition maybe supported or not by affidavits but the petitioners had elected to file supporting affidavits in support of the petition which they had now withdrawn from this Bar. Therefore the application be granted to strike the petition off.

9. Counsel Agina for the petitioners in reply submitted that in terms of the Mutunga Rules, there was no requirement to have a petition supported by affidavit. That this was a matter of choice. That the petition as filed without supporting affidavits is proper and sound and the court ought to proceed to hear and determine the petition as it is.

10. Mr. Agina further argued that the Notice of Motion before court is grossly defective since it is supported by an Affidavit of counsel on record, M/S Muringo Mate who is not an officer of the Ministry of defence and has no authority to swear the affidavit on behalf of the Ministry. That the application is defective and it be dismissed and the court proceeds to give directions on the hearing and determination of the application.

11. For the record, Supporting Affidavits commissioned by an advocate in conduct of the same matter the affidavits are meant to support offends the provisions of the Oaths and Statutory Declaration Act Chapter 15 of the laws of Kenya.

Section 4(1) of the Act reads

“4(1) A commissioner of Oaths may by virtue of his commissioning in any part of Kenya, administer any oath or take any affidavit for the purpose of any court or matter in Kenya including matters ecclesiastical and matters relating to the registration of any instrument; whether under an act or otherwise, and take any bail or recognizance in or for the purpose of any civil proceeding in the court or any subordinate court provided that a commissioner for oath shall not exercise any of the powers given by this section in any proceeding or matters in which he is the advocate for any of the parties to the proceeding or concerned in the matters or clerk to any such advocate or in which he is interested. See Caltex Oil Kenya Ltd vs New Stadium Service Station Ltd and Another. [2002] eKLR per Otieno Onyango- J.

12. The Supporting Affidavits now withdrawn were clearly defective and were correctly withdrawn.

13. The next issue for determination is whether a petition may stand alone without supporting affidavits of the petitioners.

14. In the matter, both counsel for the parties agree that it is not a requirement under Mutunga Rules 2013 to have a constitutional petition be supported by affidavit. It is indeed sufficient that grounds in support of the petition are set out in the petition itself.

Rule 10 provides the form of petition as follows:

“(2) The petition shall disclose the following:

(a) The petitioner’s name and address;

(b) The facts relied upon;

(c) The constitutional provision violated;

(d) The nature of injury caused or likely to be caused to the petitioner or the person in whose name the petitioner has instituted the suit on in a public interest case to the public, class of persons or community;

(e) Details regarding any civil or criminal case, involving the petitioner or any of the petitioners, which is related to the matters in issue in the petition.

(f) The petition shall be signed by the petitioner or advocate of the petitioner; and

(g) The relief sought by the petitioner.”

15. There is no other mandatory requirement in filing a petition. None can therefore be implied to deny a person the right to institute a petition. Support of a petition by sworn affidavit is therefore a matter left to the discretion of a petitioner. Affidavit filed in support may equally be withdrawn by the petitioner without affecting the validity of the petition.

16. Accordingly, the Notice of Motion to strike out the petition on grounds that it is supported by defective affidavits lack merit and is dismissed with costs in the cause.

Ruling Dated, Signed and delivered this 2nd day of May, 2019

Mathews N. Nduma

Judge

Appearances

M/S Alice Muringo Mate State Counsel for the Attorney General

Mr. Agina for the petitioners

Chrispo – Court Clerk