Samboja seeks DCI’s help on ‘ghost’ staff

Governor Granton Samboja has invited the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to investigate alleged ghost workers in his administration.

In a letter that was seen by The Standard, Mr Samboja wants the detectives to probe the employment status of workers on payroll between 2013 and June this year.

“Urgently undertake a thorough, but comprehensive investigation into the county government’s payroll system to ascertain if there is any criminality and possible prosecution of those found culpable,” Samboja says.

The governor wants the probe to focus on the human resources department. This is despite the fact that his administration recently conducted a headcount of all county government employees.

The Executive is yet to publish the results of the staff count.

Last week, MCAs ordered the Executive to furnish them with the list of all casual workers and their duties. They claimed Samboja had hired his political cronies to undermine them on social media.

Genuine staff

But a senior official, who requested anonymity, said the county government only wants to identify genuine staff. “It is a normal routine for organisational purposes and will help the county administration to know the total number of staff vis-à-vis departmental requirement.”

Samboja had said the county employs 1,261 casuals who are paid Sh264 million annually.

Meanwhile, Samboja yesterday said a second meeting with ODM leader Raila Odinga had failed to end the impasse between the Executive and MCAs.

“We had an opportunity to brief him (Raila) on what has happened since the last time we met. We told him we reached the threshold of needed signatures a week ago,” Samboja said.

The governor’s battle with MCAs started when the ward reps refused to pass the 2019/2020 budget after Samboja declined to grant them Sh832 million for their wards.

Samboja was accompanied to yesterday’s meeting by Senator Jones Mwaruma and MPs Andrew Mwadime (Mwatete), Jones Mlolwa (Voi) and Danson Mwashako (Wundanyi).

He said his team had collected 45,000 signatures, which was more than double the 18,000 signatures needed to petition President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve the county government.

Raila is expected to tour Taita Taveta on August 12 to launch projects, including a Sh110 million banana-processing factory.

Samboja refused to speculate whether Raila would again try to mediate an end to the dispute.

“Raila is a devolution champion but I can’t speak for him. We have told him we are ready for an election.”