Raila assures provincial administrators of job safety

By Allan Kisia

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has assured the Provincial Administration that they will not be laid off during restructuring of the system to realign it with the Constitution.

Raila said their future as public servants is secured by the Constitution and that they will not be laid-off following the restructuring of the Provincial Administration.

“The talk that Provincial Commissioners, District Commissioner, Divisional Officers, Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs will be sacked when the Provincial Administration is restructured is therefore false propaganda without any basis in law,” stated the Prime Minister.

Raila, however, dismissed County Commissioners, who President Kibaki appointed in May to undertake coordination of National Government functions. “As far as I am concerned, there are no County Commissioners. Those are pretenders to the throne,” the Premier stated.

He made the remarks during Prime Minister’s Time in Parliament.

Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi sought to know whether the Prime Minister issued the statement on behalf of the Government or on his individual capacity.“I am issuing this statement on behalf of the Government,” Raila responded.

Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo sought to be told whether “the other side of the Government” was of the same persuation. Dujis MP Adan Duale wondered why the Coalition Government appeared to be “reading from different scripts”.

The Prime Minister noted the office of the Attorney General even advised the Government not to appeal against a case where a court declared the County Commissioners illegal.

He said the Constitution guarantees fair administrative process for all persons.

Articles 47 and 236 of the Constitution provide that no public officer shall be dismissed, removed from office, demoted in rank or be affected by administrative action without due process of law.

“The restructuring will be on the basis of the Constitutional principles under Article 189, which regulate the relationship between national and county governments,” he stated.

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