A senior Ministry of Interior official who has been holding two public positions concurrently has been fired from one of them.

John Burugu, who was the Commissioner for Refugee Affairs, was last Tuesday asked to hand over immediately and return to his other position.

Barugu was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta as a member of the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) on June 19, 2020.

However, in March 2023, the then Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, now Deputy President, appointed him as acting Commissioner for Refugee Affairs. Burugu never resigned from IGRTC.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen through Immigration PS Dr Belio Kipsang has ordered Barugu to return to IGRTC.

“The appointment as Commissioner for Refugee Affairs was subject to confirmation by the Public Service Commission (PSC). Given the appointment to IGRTC is still active and to end your concurrent holding two public offices, with the concurrence of the CS ministry of Interior and National Administration, it has been decided that your  appointment as Commissioner for Refugee Affairs is terminated and you be released effective 22nd July 2025.” 

The letter signed by Dr. Kipsang adds: “You are asked to hand over to Ms. Mercy Wambugha Mwaseru who has been deployed to act as a Commissioner for Refugee Affairs with immediate effect.”

Burugu has confirmed that he had received the letter and was preparing handover notes, even as he protested the move.

“I will hand over the office on Wednesday as directed,” he said while lamenting that he was being pushed out despite his stellar performance in the last two years.

Burugu confirmed that he had not resigned from IGRTC but added that he never earned any salary or benefits from the Department of Immigration.

He claimed that senior ministry officials had scuttled his appointment to the Department of Refugees Affairs after he allegedly topped the interviews conducted by PSC in 2024.

“I was interviewed and successfully recruited by PSC in July last year but the then PS Julius Bitok sat on my appointment letter. In January, a Kenyan moved to court to stop PSC from starting a fresh exercise, and the matter is still in court. I will, however, leave so that they bring whoever they want to,” Burugu added.

Last year, the Employment and Labour Relations Court issued orders stopping the recruitment following a case filed by Stanley Kyalo Muli.

“Pending the hearing and determination of the application by this honourable court, interim orders is hereby issued restraining PSC from recruiting, any persons by inviting applications or conducting interviews for the position of Secretary Refugee Affairs, CSG4 advertised on 23rd January 2024,” Justice Mathews Nduma Nderi decreed. 

Nduma’s orders are dated 29th January 2025, and the matter is pending in court. Kyalo had sued the PSC and State Law Office.