By Monica Nashon
A former employee of Kisii National Polytechnic has welcomed a court ruling directing the institution’s officials to appear for mitigation and sentencing after they failed to comply with previous court orders.
Chief Magistrate Bernard Omwansa ruled that officials responsible for the management and administration of the polytechnic had neither attended court as directed nor demonstrated compliance with orders issued earlier.
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“The respondent contemnors have failed to comply with the orders issued on June 9, 2026, requiring their personal attendance and demonstration of compliance,” ruled Omwansa.
The court ordered all officials responsible for the management and administration of Kisii National Polytechnic to appear on June 24, 2026, for mitigation and sentencing.
Speaking after the ruling, Evans Morara, the former Head of Agriculture and Environmental Science at the institution, described the decision as a significant step in safeguarding individual rights and upholding the authority of the courts.
“The decree arises from a contract I made between Kisii National Polytechnic, Egerton University and myself. The project brought in 3.5 million Euros for the institution,” said Morara.
According to Morara, the project was intended to establish an ultra-modern agricultural incubation and resource centre complete with processing units for meat, milk, honey, fruits, vegetables and water.
He said the institution’s policy entitled him to three per cent of the project award, amounting to Sh14.8 million. However, he alleged that the institution later rejected the agreement and transferred him elsewhere.
His lawyer, Andrew Masolo, said the institution’s officials had failed to obey a court judgment delivered in April 2024.
“We are not in court to solicit public funds. There is a valid contract that gave rights that are supposed to be enforced by the parties involved,” said Masolo.
Masolo noted that the court had ordered the respondents to pay Morara Sh14 million and reinstate him as coordinator of the SIFA project, but the orders had not been implemented.
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Omwansa emphasized that court orders remain binding unless lawfully set aside by a competent court.
The magistrate found the reasons advanced for the respondents’ absence unsatisfactory and directed that the execution process proceed unless contrary orders are issued by a higher court.
