Rose Omamo has been gazetted as a member of the board of trustees of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF ) as an appointee of the workers union.
Omamo’s appointment follows months of protracted battles between Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary general Francis Atwoli and Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelagui.
Atwoli protested to President Uhuru Kenyatta on Labour Day seeking his intervention on the six-month row which had halted meetings at the state-run pension fund following a court injunction in January.
The outspoken COTU went to court last December accusing Labour CS Chelugui of leaving out Omamo’s name when he gazetted the NSSF board of trustees on October 28.
Labour PS Paul Tum who appeared before a parliamentary committee on Wednesday to answer to audit queries told MPs that the ministry had reservations about Ms Omamo’s academic standing because she lacks post-secondary school qualifications.
But on Friday, Chelugui who has been under pressure of Azimio’s Atwoli and President Kenyatta made the appointment through a gazette notice.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 (d) (i) of the National Social Security Fund Act, the Cabinet Secretary of Labour appoints, Rose Auma Omamo to be a trustee of NSSF board of trustees,” said Chelugui.
Atwoli was quick to thank President Kenyatta for his intervention and for ensuring that the appointment was effected.
But he had expressed displeasure with Labour Cs who he accused of disrespect and defying a presidential directive.
The COTU boss had passionately pleaded with the president to intervene and have a workers’ representative appointed to the NSSF board but it was not done on Wednesday like he thought.
The delay in having Omamo’s name gazetted pushed Atwoli to call on President Uhuru Kenyatta to dismiss officials who have reportedly failed to gazette his replacement at the NSSF board.
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