Martin Mungai Kamugu v Patrick Nzimbi & 5 others [2022] eKLR

Martin Mungai Kamugu v Patrick Nzimbi & 5 others [2022] eKLR

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE COOPERATIVE TRIBUNAL AT NAIROBI

TRIBUNAL CASE NO 247 OF 2021

E033/2021

MARTIN  MUNGAI  KAMUGU.....................................CLAIMANT

VERSUS

PATRICK NZIMBI...............................................1ST RESPONDENT

KENNEDY MULATYA MUTUA.......................2ND RESPONDENT

JOHNSTONE  MUIA NDIVO.............................3RD RESPONDENT

JOACHEM MACHARIA  MUCHEKE..............4TH RESPONDENT

JACINTA  MWENDE............................................5TH RESPONDENT

SEMAKA COOPERATIVE  SAVINGS  &                                              

CREDIT  SOCIETY  LIMITED..........................6TH RESPONDENT

RULING

The matter has  various  Applications  pending  determination  viz:

1.  Claimant’s  Notice of Motion  Under Certificate of Urgency  dated  31.5.2021

2.  Claimant’s  Certificate  of Urgency dated 14.6.2021( these  are deemed  as one  Application  dated 31.5.2021)

3.  Respondent’s  Notice of Motion  Under Certificate of Urgency dated  12.7.2021.

4.  Claimant’s  Notice of Motion  Under Certificate of Urgency dated  15.7.2021.

The Application  dated 31.5.2021  seeks  the following  orders:

1.  That this Application  be certified  urgent  and be heard  ex-parte  in the first  instance.

2.  That this  Honourable  Tribunal  be pleased  to issue a temporary  injunction  restraining  the Respondents  whether  by themselves,  their servants, agents , officers or anyone  acting under  their instructions  from suspending  the Applicant’s  membership from undertaking  the public  transport  business  under  the Sacco  pending  the hearing and  determination  of this Application.

3.  That this  Honourable  Tribunal  be pleased  to issue a temporary  injunction  restraining  the Respondents  whether  by themselves,  their servants, agents , officers or anyone  acting under  their instructions  from suspending  the Applicant’s  membership from undertaking  the public  transport  business  under  the Sacco  pending  the hearing and  determination  of this suit.

4.  That  this Honourable  Tribunal  be pleased  to issue  a declaration  that the Respondents action  for suspending  the Applicant’s  membership from the Sacco on the  19th  of May  2021  was unconstitutional  and in violation  of Article  47  of  the constitution  of Kenya  and Section  4  of the Fair  Administrative  Action  Act  2015.

5.  That  the Honourable  Tribunal  be pleased  to issue  an order  compelling  the Respondents to reinstate  the Applicant’s motor vehicles  registration number  KCJ 528S, KCS 482L, KCX 032S and KDA 060 V in the National  Transport  and Safety  Authority  (NTSA) system  pending  the hearing and determination  of this suit.

6.  That  the said  orders  to be  enforced  by the Officer  Commanding  Station, Kamukunji Police Station.

7.  That  the Honourable  court be pleased  to make such  further  or other  orders  as it may  deem  just and expedient  in the circumstances  of this case.

8.  That  the costs  of this Application  be provided for.

It is  based  on the quench  on the  face  of the Application  and supported  by the Affidavit  of the Claimant  Martin Mungai  Kamungu  deponed  on  31.5.2021.

The Application is opposed vide the Replying Affidavit deponed  by Patrick  Nzimibi on 21.6.2021.

In this  Application,  there  were orders  which were  recorded  by consent  of parties  dated 8.7.2021 and the Respondent  filed  the notice of motion  Application  Under Certificate of Urgency  dated 12.7.2021 seeking  stay of  the  implementation  of the orders  issued  on  8.7.2021. Interim  orders  were issued  on  13.7.2021 staying  the orders  of 8.7.2021  till 12.8.2021 and the  Claimant  filed Notice of Motion  Application  Under Certificate  dated  15.7.2021 to  set aside  the orders  of 13.7.2021 pending  the hearing and  determination  of the Application  dated 31.5.2021.

The parties were ordered to  file written submissions  to dispense  with the  Applications.  The Respondents  filed written submissions  on  7.7.2021  and 9.8.2021 while  the Claimants filed their  written submissions  on 18.8.2021.

We note  that all these  Applications  can be  dealt  with  and dispensed  with under the  Application  dated 31.5.2021 from  which  all the issues  in all  the other Applications  emanate.

Application  dated  31.5.2021

The Claimant  submitted  in the  written submissions  filed on  9.8.2021 that the  Claimant  received a letter  from Kennedy  Mutua  the Vice Chair of the  6th  Respondent that  he was  suspended.  That the  meeting  of the members  of the Management  Committee  resolved  that the  Claimant  be suspended  and therefore  his motor vehicles  KCJ 528S, KCS 482L, KCX 032S and KDA 060 V were  removed  from the National  Transport  and Safety  Authority(NTSA) portal rendering  the Claimant  to  massive  losses.

That  the Respondent  failed  to follow  the laid  down rules  and  regulations  under the  Sacco  By-laws to give  the Claimant  an opportunity  to be heard  and make his  presentation  before his  suspension  and removed of his  motor vehicles  from National  Transport  and Safety  Authority(NTSA) portal.

The Respondents  in their  written submissions  filed  on 7.7.2021  submitted  that the Claimant  sought  to disrupt  and stop  the society’s  operations  at the Nairobi terminus.

That  the decision  to suspend  and eventually  remove  the Applicant  was taken  as an emergency  decision  to avoid  collapse  of the operation  of the  Sacco.

That the Claimant  was given  a  14 days  window  to appear  and  appeal and/or  defend  himself.

The Applicant  seeks  injunctive  orders  and we will  discuss  the same under  the Principles  held in  Giella – vs- Cassman  Brown  Company  Limited  1973 EA 358

(i) Prima facie  case with  a probability  of success

The Claimant seeks for orders of injunction against his suspension.  The Respondents aver that the Claimant  was suspended  owing  to his  conduct  which  pored  serious  threat  to the reputation  and  operation  of the Sacco.  That the Claimant  was expelled  and served  with the letter  dated  28.1.2021 subject  to the Section  21 (d) and Section  23 of the By-laws. That  he was  given  14 days  to appeal  the decision  of the Central  Management  Committee and he did  not appeal  despite  having been  served  with the expulsion  letter.

That the Respondent has embarked on frustrating  the peaceful  operation  of the Sacco  leading  to his expulsion.

We  note that  the Claimant  seeks  for an injunction against  his suspension. According  to his documents on record,  the  Claimant  was suspended on 19.5.2021. The letter dated 19.5.2021 communicated  the suspension to the claimant. The Claimant  wrote  to the Society  on  20.5.2021 challenging  the decision  on the grounds  that the committee  was not  properly  constituted .

We have  noted that  in January 2021,  the Claimant  had been  expelled  and  there is  no  follow up  on  that issue. The Claimant  was then  suspended  in May  2021.  We note that  the Claimant  may be  the  cause  of his own  misfortune  since  it has not  been explained  why he had  been expelled in January  2021 and then again  suspended  in May  2021.

The Claimant avers that the quorum for the Management Committee was 3 hence their decision not legal. However, he has not availed any minutes or proof to show that the quorum was not sufficient  to suspend  him. He who alleges  must proof.

In the circumstances, we find that the Claimant has not established a prima facie case on a balance of probabilities. Indeed the Claimant seeks an injunction against the Respondent from suspending him from the society. The Claimant  has already  been suspended  hence it  would  not be logical  to  issue  an order  on an action  which has  already  occurred.

We note prayer 3 that:

“ The action  was unconstitutional and a violation of Section 4  Transport  Authority  Act  the Tribunal  being  on the same level  as  a subordinate court,  does  not possess the jurisdiction  to determine  constitutional matters  under Article  47  and Section  4  Transport  Authority  Act. “

On the issue of reinstatement, the Claimant has not provided any evidence on the illegality or otherwise of the suspension.

(ii)   Irreparable  harm

The Claimant  having not  established  a prima facie  case  as argued  above,  we find  that the  issue  of irreparable  harm  is tied to the issue of  suspension,  that is,  its legality  or otherwise.  The same can be satisfied by an award in damages since any loss would be quantifiable.

(iii) Balance  of convenience

We note  that after  his suspension, the Claimant  did not lodge    an appeal  with the society as  required  in the doctrine of exhaustion  of available  internet  remedies, before  lodging  his claim in the Tribunal. The Claimant  was already  suspended  and he has not  availed  any proof  of illegality  of the said  expulsion on any  steps taken  to lift  the suspension/decision of the Management  Committee.

The balance of convenience therefore does not favour the Claimant in the circumstances.

In totality therefore, we find that the Application of the Claimant dated 31.5.2021 lacks merits and is accordingly dismissed  with costs.

The effect  of this decision  therefore  deems  the Applications  dated 12.7.2021, 15.7.2021 and 27.8.2021 as spent.

The  parties  to fix  the matter  for the hearing  of  the main claim  and  to thus  effect,  to file and serve  witness  statement and  documents  within  30 days  herein.

Mention  for Pre-trial  directions on 2.12.2021

RULING SIGNED, DATED AND DELIVERED VIRTUALLY AT NAIROBI THIS 7TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2021.

Hon. B. Kimemia                  Chairperson                Signed       7.10.2021

Hon. J. Mwatsama     Deputy Chairperson            Signed       7.10.2021

Mr. P. Gichuki             Member                                 Signed       7.10.2021

Mr. B. Akusala             Member                                 Signed       7.10.2021

Tribunal Clerk              R. Leweri

Chimei  for the Respondent

Atutu & Associates  for Claimant- No appearance

Mention notice to issue

Hon. J. Mwatsama     Deputy Chairperson            Signed       7.10.2021

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