Why governor fired members of the county employment agency

Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui has said the decision to send home members of the county public service board and the secretariat was long overdue.

Mr Kinyanjui defended his action saying the board members who were hired by his predecessor Kinuthia Mbugua, had gone rogue.

Since 2015, the board has been on the spot over illegal recruitment, nepotism and skewed promotions contributing to a ballooning wage bill that hit Sh6.2 billion in the current financial year.

In his communication to the media last Tuesday, the governor said he had send the entire board on 45 days compulsory leave to allow investigations into claims of  gross misconduct.

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He ordered the five member team led by former university don Dr Waithanji Mutiti and the secretariat to vacate their offices at the Public Works Building in London estate with immediate effect. Kinyanjui claimed that the board defied an executive order to stop recruitment of staff following an audit report that revealed a bloated workforce.

“Continued recruitment is likely to jeopardise recommendations of the staff audit report and expose the county government to litigation and a bloated workforce,”  Kinyanjui said, adding that his administration shall not be bound by any appointment from the illegal recruitment.

The governor was reportedly infuriated by a list the board recently released, of 582 shortlisted applicants for five positions of senior support Job Group “D.” The list allegedly contains at least three names of relatives of members of the board.

Sources told the Sunday Standard that the governor is likely to petition the county assembly to  disband the board.

On Tuesday afternoon, the governor supervised the sealing of the doors to the offices of the board. They were welded shut.

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One of the board members, Richard Tuta, tendered his resignation to the governor on Friday.

Other members of the board are James Mbugua (secretary), Peter Mwarania (member) and Monicah Cheruitich.

Mutiti, the board chairman, confirmed that the offices have been sealed off but said he was yet to receive official communication from the executive.

Related Topics

Nakuru Governor Lee KinyanjuiWaithanji Mutiticounty public service board