Musumba's appointment was unprocedural, says Nairobi County Health Executive

The appointment of Mr Jairus Musumba as the acting deputy director of Public Health has brought divisions in the Nairobi County Public Service Board.

Nairobi County Health Executive Dr Bernard Muia, who was last month ejected from the office by a group of rowdy youths, has been accused of taking Governor Dr Evans Kidero to court to challenge Mr Musumba’s appointment.

In a memo dated March 28, 2017 to the chairman of the Nairobi County Public Service Board, Dr Muia stated that the appointment of Mr Musumba was unprofessional and contrary to the public service code of regulations.

EXPERIENCED OFFICERS

Dr Muia criticised Mr Musumba’s new appointment saying there are more qualified and experienced officers who should have been considered for the post.

“The officer is a Public Health Officer - (I) job group L and it would be unprofessional and contrary to the public service code of regulation to elevate him four job groups simultaneously,” read the memo in part.

Dr Muia added that he had received complaints from other officers over Mr Musumba’s appointment.

The standoff saw the Association of Public Health Officers Kenya on October 13, 2016 move to court soon after Mr Musumba was deployed as an interim County Chief Public Health Officer.

Dr Muia, in the memo, said that his office was neither consulted during the process of appointing Mr Musumba to his new post, nor was the appointment letter copied to his office.

UPHELD APPOINTMENT

Dr Muia said that since the determination of the case was done on March 24, 2017 and the court quashed the posting made by the chief officer and any other subsequent changes in the public health division.

However the county Public Service Board, in a letter dated April 26, 2017 to the CEC Health Dr Muia, the board upheld his appointment saying the appointment followed the right procedure.

“The board deliberated the matter and noted that all due procedures were followed in appointing Mr Musumba and it was further noted that the recommendation came from the user department who must have considered all other qualified person,” read the letter from public service board.

It further stated that the board considered the court case whose subject was a posting order and not the current acting appointment stating that the posting had already been reversed.