Nairobi County ordered to compensate man Sh7 million for prolonged silence after job interview
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has ordered Nairobi County Assembly and its Speaker to jointly pay Halkano Dida Waqo Sh7 million for unfair treatment after his vetting for a senior county position ended without resolution.
Waqo was vetted in April last year for the post of Chief Officer for Housing and Urban Renewal. But unlike other nominees, he was never told whether his nomination had been approved or rejected.
In his ruling, the court found that the assembly’s conduct was a violation of his constitutional rights and professional dignity. “To vindicate the violations, the petitioner is awarded Kshs.7,000,000 payable jointly or severally by the 3rd and 4th respondents,” the judge said. The court added that failure to pay by January 2026 will attract interest.
Court documents show Waqo was among seven nominees forwarded for vetting and public scrutiny last year. But while six reports were tabled and approved in a special sitting, the committee responsible for his vetting – the Lands, Planning and Housing Committee – failed to submit its report without explanation.
This omission, the court heard, left Waqo in limbo. He said he expected a smooth process and therefore did not pursue other professional or economic opportunities. His attempts to follow up, including a formal letter to the assembly in September last year, went unanswered.
The judge said the lack of communication caused Waqo “emotional distress, reputational damage and loss of income” and that the assembly’s silence eroded public confidence in transparent recruitment.
“As a professional, he has lost income and missed economic opportunities caused by reliance on the anticipated appointment as well as diminished professional standing,” the court said.
The court dismissed the assembly’s argument that the matter had been overtaken by events as “most callous and whimsical” and said constitutional principles of accountability and fairness had been ignored.
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Nairobi County ordered to compensate man Sh7 million for prolonged silence after job interview