Mutua reshuffles Machakos Cabinet, warns ‘lazy’ officers

One Machakos County chief officer was on Wednesday sacked while five others were suspended over what Governor Alfred Mutua said was insubordination and sluggish implementation of projects.

The move came a day after the governor gave a dress down to his county executive officers during the inspection of county projects.

Dr Mutua said that there is a chain of command as well as internal dispute resolution mechanisms in government and that insubordination will not be allowed.

OBEY DIRECTIVES

“Government decisions and executive directives must be obeyed and carried out to the letter. Altering them to fit one’s personal agenda or self-serving interpretation will not be tolerated,” said Governor Mutua.

The governor made major Cabinet changes that saw Mr Michael Maina, who was the chief officer for Special Programmes, Research and Development, sacked, while others were suspended awaiting investigations.

Those affected are CECs Francis Mwaka (Trade, Industrialisation and Innovation) and Kimeu Kimeu (Public Service and Quality Management) who have been suspended for two months.

FINAL WARNING

Administration and Decentralised Units CEC Titus Kavila was given a final warning while Urbanus Mutua, the CEC for Agriculture and Food Security and Cooperative Development was given a warning letter.

Following the changes, Tourism, Youth, Sports and Culture CEC Ruth Mutua will now be in charge of the Trade, Industrialisation and Innovation docket in acting capacity while County Secretary and Head of Public Service Grace Munguti will act in the Public Service, Labour, Quality Management and ICT docket.

SUSPENDED ON HALF PAY

Youth and Sports Chief Officer Carlos Kioko was suspended and put on half salary for three months while Dr Joel Paul Mwova, the acting chief officer for Medical Services was also suspended on half salary for two months.

Mr Emmanuel Kata Kimeu, the chief ICT officer, was given a final warning letter.

Dr Jacks Nthanga, the chief officer for Special Programmes, was deployed back to the Machakos Level Five Hospital to undertake medical duties.

“These measures and changes take effect immediately. Suspended officers are instructed to surrender to the office of the county secretary and head of public service all government benefits at their disposal including vehicles, laptops and keep off government offices during the period of suspension,” said Dr Mutua.

BACKBITING

The governor said he was puzzled that some people spend time backbiting, pulling others down and spreading unfounded and malice information about each other.

Governor Mutua accused some officers of not going to work when he is away from the county.

“I am equally disturbed by the creeping culture of organised confusion where public officers with vested interests intentionally fail to put service delivery systems in place and/or create unnecessary red tape so as to extract personal benefits from members of the public,” Dr Mutua said.

The governor said the county has over 7,000 employees yet the level of productivity is below expectations.

He said that only a few are working while the rest make technical appearances at work.

“Machakos requires creative, meritorious, innovative, critical thinking and international standard minds. In-fighting, conspiracy and lethargic minds cannot go hand in hand with the great plans that I have for the people of Machakos,” he said.