Qualified officers shun county jobs over ‘unknown’ pay

By Antony Gitonga            

 KENYA: Lack of competitive salaries for senior officers in county governments is a major impediment to hiring competent staff to spearhead devolution.

The Council of Governors admitted that qualified and experienced personnel were ignoring positions in the counties since their salaries were not set.

Council Chairman Isaac Ruto, said Governors had sought the intervention of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission on the issue.

As MPs fought their way for an increase of their salaries, the Bomet Governor pointed to executive positions as the most affected by the salary issue. “How do you advertise for a position whose salaries you don’t know?” he asked.

Stalled operations

Mr Ruto told of a county where of the 900 people who applied only two qualified, adding the issue had stalled operations and service delivery in several counties. The chairman was addressing the Press during a two-day workshop for the Governor’s Council in Simba Lodge Naivasha, on Friday.

He praised the Jubilee Government for its commitment to devolution, but hit out at the Treasury for failing to respect allocation of revenue as set by the Commission on Revenue Allocation.

“The workshop is addressing various issues, including devolution, funding by the Central Government, and the role of county commissioners,” he said. He shied away from the debate on the MP and senators’ salaries, noting it was upon the elected leaders to decide the issue.

Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution chairman Charles Nyachae hit out at MPs over their move to increase their salaries. He also questioned if the legislators had ample grounds to move a petition against the salaries commission.

He was, however, quick to note the MPs were following the law, adding that Article 250 of the Constitution spelled modalities of acting against an independent commission.  “I don’t not see any grounds on the intended move by MPs but this is a Constitution process and we respect it,” he said. Despite the move, the chairman said he did not see any threat on the independent commissions by Parliament, as it was also a creation of the Constitution.

Nyachae said the President would have no choice but to set up a tribunal if the petition sailed through in Parliament.