Civil Society
The Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG) has taken legal action against the Kenyan government for privatizing several public parastatals without following proper procedures outlined in the Privatization Act, of 2023.
Speaking in Migori Town, the Civil Society Reference Group Official Cidi Otieno said that they have filed a case at the High Court challenging the legality of privatization of public parastatals. Otieno argued that these privatizations breach parliamentary ratification, stakeholder engagement, and public participation requirements.
The Civil Society Reference Group is a coalition of over 200 human rights, social justice and development organisations that seek to strengthen Kenyan civil society by providing a common voice, improving the transparency and leadership of the sector and advocating for a supportive legal environment for the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Kenya.
Privatization Act, of 2023 was signed into law on October 9, 2023, ushering in a new era in the government’s attempts to privatize state-owned enterprises from public ownership to private ownership.
CSRG highlights the strategic importance of these entities in vital sectors of the economy and accuses the government of succumbing to foreign loan conditions reminiscent of Structural Adjustment Programmes from the 1990s.
While Justice Jairus Ngaah certified CSRG’s application and granted their prayers for judicial review, he declined to issue stay orders, emphasizing the need for the respondents to be heard on the progress of the privatization programmes.
Otieno said that a lot of Kenyans have been employed in government entities like parastatals and privatizing them will further increase the high rate of unemployment that the country is currently experiencing.