High Court Overturns Ruto’s Appointee Over Thin Papers
The High Court has dealt former Gender CS Aisha Jumwa a serious blow by overturning her appointment as Kenya Roads Board chairperson.
On Wednesday, May 20, Justice Bahati Mwamuye of the High Court found that the government’s nomination of Jumwa breached both the law and public interest.
As a result, Justice Mwamuye directed that a new appointment be made in conformity with the KRB Act and the law.
“The appointment of Hon. Aishwa Jumwa as a member of the Kenya Roads Board is unconstitutional and unlawful ab initio as it did not comply with Section 7 of the Kenya Roads Boards Act and articles 10,47 and 232 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010,” Mwamuye ruled.
“A fresh appointment must follow the KRB Act and the Constitution.”
TWO RULINGS MADE BY JUSTICE BAHATI MWAMUYE TODAY. 🛑
— I am Chege (@_James041) May 20, 2026
1. Justice Bahati Mwamuye has quashed the appointment of Aisha Jumwa as Kenya Roads Board Chairperson, stating that the appointment was done in violation of articles 10,47 and 232 of the CoK 2010, following a petition by… pic.twitter.com/nMalV6S8pG
The verdict comes after activist Francis Awino filed Petition E043 of 2025 at the High Court, challenging the former CS’s appointment on the basis of alleged serial infractions of the law.
President William Ruto appointed Jumwa as the non-executive chairperson of the Kenya Roads Board in January 2025, an appointment that later sparked widespread controversy and attracted significant public attention.
However, Jumwa’s appointment quickly came under scrutiny over her qualifications, with the Institution of Engineers of Kenya challenging the decision just days after the announcement.
The engineers’ body argued that the appointment failed to meet the legal requirements outlined under the Kenya Roads Board Act No. 7, particularly regarding the appointment process and qualifications needed to head the board.
IEK further maintained that Jumwa lacked the professional background required for the role.
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They noted that she had no expertise in civil, structural, or transport engineering that would align with the board’s technical mandate.
Additionally, the organisation criticised the manner in which the appointment was made, arguing that it contravened guidelines provided under the First Schedule of the Kenya Roads Board Act.
The appointment of Aisha Jumwa as Chair of Kenya Roads Board by President William Ruto is unlawful and unconstitutional. His AG and SG ought to have told him. Jumwa is not a member of any of eight professional organizations. We must help the President whether he likes it or not. pic.twitter.com/6KuTQdQNUU
— Nelson Havi SC (@NelsonHavi) January 28, 2025
Despite the controversy surrounding her appointment, Jumwa officially assumed office on January 29, 2025, after being inaugurated as the non-executive chairperson of the Kenya Roads Board.
She was received at her new office by several senior government officials, among them Transport CS Davis Chirchir.
However, the judge declined to nullify all decisions made during Jumwa’s tenure, stating that doing so could disrupt actions that may have served the public interest.
The court noted that it would be unreasonable to quash all decisions without fully understanding their nature, scope, and impact.
High Court Overturns Ruto’s Appointee Over Thin Papers
