Editorial: Give all fair chance in State appointments

By Editorial

Never has the transfer of a public servant in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s young presidency attracted so much attention as the redeployment of Kiplimo Rugut, the immediate Director-General of the National Youth Service. At a press conference at State House on Friday, the President acknowledged that changes had been made at the NYS. Yet despite that, the furore caused by the transfer has not quietened. Feelings are gaining currency that the TNA arm of the Jubilee Coalition (which sponsored Kenyatta’s bid) is trying to upstage its partner, the URP.

One of the reasons cited is the manner the concerned Cabinet Secretary communicated the changes and how the changes were defended. In the absence of communication, all was left to the creative minds to put a negative construction on the action. No one has questioned the competence of Dr Nelson Githinji, who has taken charge, it is his tribe that is being questioned especially by members of the URP.

In truth, Rugut’s deployment has stirred up the ghost of tribalism that is lurking beneath the surface. Whether Rugut was pushed or transferred to create space for a chum, should not be the biggest of concerns now.  It is that the move has exposed the folly of running government on pre-election pacts that often ignore the complexities of Kenya’s tribal contours. Had the affected officer been a member of the El Molo, would the uproar have been as loud? Kenya is an amalgam of 42 tribes, and the Constitution envisages that appointments to the public service must mirror the face of Kenya. Most importantly, public service should be apolitical at all times to ensure fairness and justice.

The president and his deputy, Mr William Ruto, have spoken about the need to unite Kenya. They should do that in word and deed. No one wants to relive the experiences of the Narc Coalition and the Grand Coalition where mistrust, suspicion and blame characterised everything at the expense of development.