The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi issued temporary orders stopping the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) board from holding a scheduled meeting and from taking any action to remove its Chief Executive Officer, Roy Sasaka Telewa.
In a ruling delivered on January 13, 2026, Lady Justice Jemimah Wanza Keli certified as urgent an application filed by Telewa against the NGAAF Board, the Cabinet Secretary for the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, and other respondents.
The court restrained the respondents, their agents or any persons acting under their authority from convening, holding or proceeding with the NGAAF board meeting that had been scheduled for Tuesday, January 13 or any other meeting convened pursuant to the disputed process.
Justice Keli also issued a temporary conservatory order barring the respondents from suspending, removing, terminating or purporting to terminate Telewa’s contract of service pending the hearing of the application.
The orders further prohibit the board from convening, directing, influencing or acting upon any process aimed at his removal, or appointing or retaining any person in an acting or substantive capacity as Chief Executive Officer of the Fund.
The application is to be served upon the respondents within seven days for response.
The court directed that the matter be heard inter partes on January 21, 2026.
This came as it emerged Telewa presented himself before the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Monday to record a statement in connection with allegations of possession of unexplained wealth valued at approximately Sh1 billion.
This follows a search operation conducted at his residence and office on January 8, 2026.
The operation relates to allegations of corruption, procurement irregularities, and the acquisition of unexplained wealth estimated at Sh1 billion, allegedly accumulated between January 1, 2021 and January, 8 2026.
It is not clear what the investigators were after and what he told them. He did not respond to calls.
The Commission is also focusing on procurement irregularities linked to his tenure at the Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC).
Telewa has previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Council, Head of Procurement at KDIC, and Deputy Head of Procurement at the Competition Authority of Kenya.
Upon conclusion of the investigation, the findings will guide the appropriate course of action, which may include arrest and prosecution of Telewa if found culpable, forfeiture of unexplained assets, and confiscation of proceeds linked to corruption.
Telewa was illegally redeployed to the Ministry headquarters as part of ongoing leadership and organizational realignments within the State Department for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action.
He was replaced by Magdaline Jelagat Kipkenei who was the head of the Directorate of Anti-Gender-Based Violence. Telewa was moved to the Directorate of Anti-Gender-Based Violence swapping positions with Jelagat, which was seen as a demotion.
He moved to court and obtained an order stopping the move.
The court agreed the PS has no powers to move a CEO who has a contract.
In an earlier communication issued by Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe, the State Department dated November 7, 2025, she praised Telewa’s tenure at NGAAF, citing his professionalism and commitment, and noting that the Fund recorded significant progress in advancing socio-economic empowerment programmes targeting women, youth, and vulnerable groups across the country under her leadership.
According to the notice, the redeployment is aimed at strengthening service delivery, accountability, and institutional coordination within the State Department.
Telewa will now serve in the Directorate of Anti-Gender-Based Violence, where he is expected to spearhead the operationalization of Gender Violence Protection Centres, Safe Houses, and Shelters for victims and survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and femicide.
The State Department noted that Telewa’s experience in public sector management, policy implementation, and development coordination will be instrumental in enhancing strategic planning and programme oversight within the Directorate of Anti-Gender-Based Violence.
His service at the Ministry will remain tied to the term of his current contract.
The letter was copied to the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
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