[2018] KEELRC 1819 (KLR)
The court found that the claimant's suit was improperly instituted against parties who had no contractual or legal obligation to him. The employment relationship existed between the claimant and G4S Kenya Ltd, not the named individual or the union. There was no disclosed cause of action against the 1st and 3rd...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2018] KEELRC 1819 (KLR)
- Parties
- Applicant: Zachary Mwangi Muriu; Respondent: Managing Director G4S; Respondent: Managing Director Nyati Sacco; Respondent: General Secretary Kenya National Private Security Workers’ Union
- Court
- Employment and Labour Relations Court
- Court Station
- Employment and Labour Relations Court at Nyeri
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Cause 301 of 2017
- Procedural Posture
- Employment Cause / Ruling on Preliminary Objection
- Outcome
- suit struck out with costs to 1st and 3rd respondents
- Judges
- AN Makau
- Legal Topics
- Wrongful Joinder, Employment Contracts, Trade Union Liability
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Zachary Mwangi Muriu
Applicant
Managing Director G4S
Respondent
Managing Director Nyati Sacco
Respondent
General Secretary Kenya National Private Security Workers’ Union
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Employment Cause / Ruling on Preliminary Objection
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the suit was instituted against the proper parties.
- 2 Whether the respondents had any contractual or legal obligation to the claimant.
- 3 Whether the suit disclosed a cause of action against the respondents.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the claimant's suit was improperly instituted against parties who had no contractual or legal obligation to him. The employment relationship existed between the claimant and G4S Kenya Ltd, not the named individual or the union. There was no disclosed cause of action against the 1st and 3rd respondents, making the suit an abuse of court process. Consequently, the court struck out the suit with costs to the 1st and 3rd respondents.
Court Disposition
suit struck out with costs to 1st and 3rd respondents
Orders
- The suit is struck out as against the 1st and 3rd respondents.
- Costs awarded to the 1st and 3rd respondents.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
18 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
IN THE EMPLOYMENT & LABOUR RELATIONS
COURT OF KENYA AT NYERI
CAUSE NO. 301 OF 2017
ZACHARY MWANGI MURIU........................................................CLAIMANT
VERSUS
MANAGING DIRECTOR G4S...........................................1ST RESPONDENT
MANAGING DIRECTOR NYATI SACCO......................2ND RESPONDENT
GENERAL SECRETARY KENYA NATIONAL
PRIVATE SECURITY WORKERS’ UNION...................3RD RESPONDENT
RULING
1. The preliminary objections by the Respondents is that the Claimant’s suit is against the wrong parties. The Claimant sued the 3 Respondents seeking a plethora of reliefs including reinstatement to employment and payment of his salary for the period the Claimant would have worked till retirement at the age of 60 years. The Claimant also sought payment of airtime and recruitment fee.
2. The 1st Respondent’s objection is that the Claimant’s claim arises from a contract of employment between him and G4S Kenya Ltd which is a legal entity; the 1st Respondent was an employee of G4S Kenya Ltd and cannot have personal responsibility for the acts of G4S Kenya Ltd; there being no contract or service or any other cause of action disclosed against 1st Respondent, his joinder in these proceedings is an abuse of the court process. 1st Respondent thus prays that the suit against him be struck out with costs to him. The 3rd Respondent raises in its preliminary objection that the contract of employment is between the claimant and G4S Kenya Ltd and not 3rd Respondent that there is no contractual formal relationship between the Claimant and the union. The 3rd Respondent asserts that it does not have a personal responsibility for acts for the trade union and there is no cause of action disclosed against the 3rd Respondent and that the claim is an abuse of the court process and is not bona fide, is frivolous, incompetent, vexatious and should be dismissed with costs to the 3rd Respondent.
3. It is clear the suit is on employment issues and trade union affairs. The Claimant is entitled to seek relief from a court of law for any infarction of his rights. However, the suit should be against the proper parties. The suit he had filed disclosed that he was employed by G4S Kenya Limited. In the objections taken, it is clear the suit is misguided and against parties that do not have a contractual obligation with the Claimant. I will strike out the suit with costs to the 1st and 3rd Respondent as the 2nd Respondent did not appear or participate.
It is so ordered.
Dated and delivered at Nyeri this 9th day of April 2018
Nzioki wa Makau
JUDGE