Bomet Woman Representative Linet Chepkorir, popularly known as Toto, has been ordered by the court to pay nearly Sh1 million to her former employee after losing an employment case.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court ruled that Kipkirui Dominic Mutai was unfairly dismissed from his job as deputy county manager in Toto’s office. The court found that he was removed from office without being given a fair hearing, notice, or even an official termination letter.
According to court documents, Mutai had been employed in October 2022 under a five-year contract and was earning a monthly salary of Sh165,000. However, things reportedly changed a few months later after he allegedly started receiving threats linked to Toto’s spouse.
Mutai told the court that in March 2023, he began facing pressure and threats over his position in the office. He even reported the matter at Bomet Police Station after fearing for his safety and job security.
The situation became worse in April 2023 when a person allegedly sent by the Woman Representative’s office collected his office keys and blocked him from accessing his workstation. Despite writing several letters asking for clarification and redeployment, he said he never received any response.
The court heard that Mutai continued reporting to work for months without receiving his salary before eventually being locked out completely.
In its ruling, the court stated that only the office of the Woman Representative had the legal authority to hire or dismiss employees, not private individuals. The judge added that employers are required by law to give valid reasons and a fair hearing before firing workers.
The court also criticised Toto’s office for failing to respond properly to the case. According to the judgment, the respondents ignored court timelines, skipped mediation sessions, and failed to submit defence documents or witness statements.
Because there was no response challenging Mutai’s claims, the court accepted his evidence as truthful.
Although Mutai had requested over Sh2.8 million and reinstatement to his position, the court awarded him Sh990,110 plus annual interest of 14 percent. The amount included salary arrears, compensation for unfair dismissal, and one month’s salary in place of notice.