Parastatal chiefs given more powers over staff

The government has delegated more functions of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to the management of State corporations, making them more autonomous in discharging their functions.

The move leaves PSC with largely a supervisory role and accords parastatals heads more powers over human resource.

In a memo sent to the Attorney-General Githu Muigai, Cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries and chief executive officers of all the corporations last week, the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua asks them to acquaint themselves with the new provisions.

“This is to notify you that the PSC has pursuant to powers conferred by Article 234 (5) of the constitution delegated to the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC) some of its functions as contained in the attached delegation instrument,” Mr Kinyua said.

REDUCE BUREAUCRACY

The aim of the move, the Sunday Nation has learnt, is to improve service delivery by cutting down on the government red tape.

Parastatal chiefs will now be able to appoint and manage performance of staff without overly consulting with the commission.

The overriding objective, Mr Kinyua said, is to standardise operations in government departments.

“The aim is to create a uniform human resource management function and norms in the public service for the purpose of strengthening service delivery,” PSC chairperson Margaret Kobia said.

She said the commission has been meeting corporations heads in order to operationalise the directive.

As a safeguard against abuse by the parastatals chiefs, the SCAC chaired by Mr Arthur Namu with Mrs Jane Mugambi as the secretary will oversee the implementation of the roles and provide biannual reports to the PSC.

“For example the appointment of staff will be based on merit, competitive and represent face of Kenya. It will also ensure that staff discipline laws of natural justice, representation and due process is observed at all levels,” Prof Kobia told the Sunday Nation.

PRESIDENT'S FIRM GRIP

Putting corporations under the watch of SCAC based at the Office of the President also means that President Uhuru Kenyatta will have a firmer grip on the management since he appoints all the CEOs and chairpersons.

This comes about one year after the PSC gave cabinet secretaries sweeping powers to take full charge of their respective ministries.

PSC said the aim was to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that have been blamed for slow delivery of services.

“In the new dispensation, the President will hold the cabinet secretaries accountable for the performance of their respective dockets. The cabinet secretaries are now the chief executives of their respective ministries and must hold staff accountable,” Prof Kobia said.

CSs now perform management of financial and procurement functions.

In addition, they also approve work, procurement, and cash flow plans.

It means the CSs can no longer claim that they are powerless in the ministry a fact that makes them take full responsibility for anything that goes wrong in their dockets.

At the height of the push to have her step down, the former devolution minister Anne Waiguru put up a fight arguing it would be unfair to force her out for mistakes committed by her juniors behind her back.

The narrative, however, failed to impress since the new rules had taken effect.