KRA under probe for disqualifying 133 applicants over HIV, pregnancy tests

Members of Parliament now want to start a probe into the appointments of 1,406 revenue service assistants made by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for breaching several articles of the Constitution.

Members of cohesion committee in the National Assembly were on Thursday dismayed that some Kenyans were rejected for reasons such as being HIV positive, pregnant, among other flimsy excuses that are against the law.

Despite the courts finding the appointments unconstitutional, the committee now wants to investigate the matter to serve as an example to other government institutions that are committing similar illegalities.

“There is need to go to a full inquiry to know what happened, we must use this as an example to other government intuitions that are discriminating other Kenyans,” asserted Ndhiwa MP Peters Owino.

His Kasipul constituency counterpart Charles Ong’ondo Were supported the inquiry and demanded that the 133 Kenyans who were rejected on medical grounds be employed by KRA forthwith.

“You decided to subject this staff to HIV tests and pregnancy tests, this needs an inquiry, can you explain to us why you can’t absorb the 133 that you rejected on medical grounds immediately? And this should be non-negotiable,” said Were.

KRA Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga defended the actions of the State agency saying the officers needed to have paramilitary training to achieve the roles they were to perform.

According to Wattanga, the Kenya Defence Forces took over the recruitment of the officers due to the aforesaid training.

“Due to the nature and role of the Revenue Service Assistants (RSAs), they were to undergo two months of tax training as well as paramilitary skills. There was therefore a need to meet the prescribed paramilitary training requirements to avoid casualties and loss of lives during the rigorous training,” the KRA boss told the committee.

Wattanga further stated that despite 133 officers being rejected on medical grounds, the doctors did not disclose to them what they were ailing from.

The answer seemed to anger the MPs even more, as they were emphatic that no one should be discriminated on account of being HIV positive or pregnant.

“The Bill of Rights applies to all State organs; KRA using KDF is a poor excuse, they have no role under the KRA Act at all...they’re not anchored anywhere under the KRA HR manual,” said Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge.

“The inquiry route will help us cite KRA on gross violations of the Constitution and set us as a country on a path that will ensure that State and public officers will enforce the rights that are guaranteed in the Constitution,” he stated.