Taita Taveta government admits wrongful employment

TAITA, KENYA: The Taita Taveta county executive has admitted that the local public service board (CPSB) recruited health officers with lower academic qualifications and promoted them to undeserved high grades.
Taita-Taveta County Executive (CEC) member in-charge of Health Services Gifton Mkaya told the county assembly in a statement that the CPSB recruited three nursing officers of lower qualifications and appointed them to higher positions hence earning higher salaries than they deserve.
"The anomaly led to over payment of the three Nursing Officers, totaling to Sh 223,758, for the last six months," Dr Mkaya told the house session chaired by Speaker Meshack Maganga on Friday.
The CEC was responding to a statement sought by Marungu Ward Representative Paul Waweru Kang'ethe who wanted to know from the county administration why three health workers were recruited and placed on higher job group yet they did not qualify for the positions appointed to.
In his question, the Jubilee Party legislator said the officers attached at the Voi County Referral Hospital were being paid salaries which were not of their grade.
In his response through the county assembly committee on health, Dr Mkaya said the executive committee meeting on December16, 2014 approved the recruitment of 116 additional health workers and directed the department to prepare the requisite indents for the vacancies for the Kenya Registered Nurses III.
Upon receipt of the order from the County Secretary, and confirmation of the required budget to hire additional health staff, the department of health prepared the indent which was forwarded to the CPSB for their further necessary action, Mkaya statement read by nominated County Representative Rozina Kisochi said.