PSC picks 22 women for top jobs

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

KENYA: At least 22 women will be shortlisted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) for possible appointment as Principal Secretaries.

PSC Chairperson Margaret Kobia said the one-third-gender rule was a major factor in arriving at persons to be nominated for the top ministry jobs.

She said the interviews are complete and the women will be among the 66 persons shortlisted. Ms Kobia said 53 women and 100 men were interviewed. Nine of them were persons with disabilities.

Addressing the press yesterday, Kobia said the list is ready and is only undergoing some “cleaning.”

“We are just cleaning the list to make it user friendly,” she said.

She also said in the list they will recommend names of persons per given ministry but noted the President will have the final say.

“During interviews we asked each of them which ministries they would serve best and they gave between two to three,” she said.

Over 2,000 persons from public and private sector applied for the jobs. Kobia said merit, gender, and regional balance were the criterion used.  She also said persons with disability were another special group considered in the exercise. She said the names would now be forwarded to the President with recommendation for possible appointment.