Nakuru MCAs grill Public Service Board members over jobs

Nakuru County Assembly committee on Wednesday grilled the Public Service Board over irregular hiring of enforcement officers.

The board however declined to give a breakdown showing the distribution of jobs in the wards.

Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has disowned the board over the controversial recruitment of 130 county enforcement officers. The Board has also previously been on the spot over irregular hiring.

The County Assembly’s Labour and Social Welfare Committee is investigating the matter and has also summoned the County Executive for Finance for questioning.

CANDIDATES

MCAs demanded that the board members show the distribution of the recruited officers in the 55 wards in the County.

The demand resulted in emotions running high as the board and the ward representatives exchanged bitter words.

Appearing before the Assembly committee, the board chairman Dr Waithanji Mutiti said he could not give the details as requested by the committee.

“As far as this board is concerned, the recruitment of the enforcement officers is above board and all the constitutional requirements were met,” he stated.

But the ward representatives probing the appointments could hear none of that and accused the board chairman of arrogance and disobeying the directive by the committee to table details of all the successful candidates.

CONTACTS

The committee chairperson, Gilgil Ward rep Ms Jane Wangui Ngugi said the board was supposed to furnish it with a list of all successful officers, sub-county, wards, ID numbers and phone contacts and how they were distributed in the 55 wards.

“The only effort the board has made is to forward the list with ID numbers and telephone contacts and this is unacceptable,” Ms Ngugi.

She said the aim of the committee was to establish where the officers were recruited from.

“Our fears is that some of the recruited officers may not have come from Nakuru and that is our bone of contention,” said Ms Ngugi.

REPORT

Dr Mutiti however defended the board’s decision they were guided by section 65 of the County Government Act that guides employment.

He said since the issue seems contentious, the board will only agree to give more information on the officers after a judicial interpretation.

The committee dismissed his argument saying they will not accept to be arm-twisted by the board.

“This committee has mandate to represent residents and we shall not allow the board to take advantage of the employment opportunities, which is not all inclusive in the 55 wards,” said Ms Ngugi.

She said the committee will prepare its report and table it the assembly for further action.