Public sackings are demeaning and illegal

NAIROBI: Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho is on a mission to rid the country of illicit brews. To do that, he has had to roll up his sleeves, literally, and get down to the gutter. That needs a large dose of gusto.

And here's why: A survey conducted by the National Authority for the Control of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) in 2015 indicates 6,000 people die annually from alcohol-related ailments.

Over 12 per cent of youngsters aged between 15 and 24 are alcoholics. Another 2.5 million people require rehabilitation.

Clearly, these are worrying statistics. It should renergise the war against illicit brews. Yet it is the method of fighting the menace that is raising concern. The rule of thumb on such a campaign is that it must be done in a manner that precludes victimisation of leaders.

Lest we forget, when President Uhuru Kenyatta asked Members of Parliament to spearhead the war on illicit brews last year, chaos ensued, leading to loss of property and injury.

Mr Kibicho’s concern is understandable. He must however act within the confines of the law and follow laid-down procedures for disciplining errant public servants. The chiefs he has so far sacked have been exposed to ridicule and embarrassment. In fact, public hostility toward these local leaders have spiked in the last few days. In Nakuru, a chief is hospitalised with arrow wounds after he was shot at during a crackdown on illicit liquor.

Evidently, none of the chiefs was given an opportunity to defend themselves to establish if, indeed, they were on the wrong. Sacking public officers in public, other than undermining the authority of their office, contravenes the 2007 Labour Act on termination of employment by an employer. That means the PS is exposing the Government to costly legal suits.

In which case, sacking chiefs becomes an escapist and populist move that ultimately serves no public good.