Govt halts plans to relocate civil servants from Jogoo House A to Manga House in Nairobi West

By Geoffrey Mosoku

Nairobi, Kenya: The Government has shelved plans to relocate hundreds of civil servants who were ordered out of Jogoo House A in the city centre and directed to a private building in Nairobi west.

The plan has been put on hold following questions raised over the manner in which Manga House was procured for use by the state officers who were formerly in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The officers were also to be joined by the Government Spokesmen office and the Directorate of Information (KNA) under the Minstry of Information and Communication Technology after Secretary to Cabinet Francis Kimemia ordered the workers to vacate and create room for Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo.

National Coordination Principal Secretary Josephta Mukobe Thursday confirmed the move to halt the plan saying government will find them with alternative premises.

PS Mukobe reaffirmed that though the government had intended to house them at the privately owned Manga House, the building is not yet ready for immediate occupation.

She urged the affected departments to be patient as the government finds them new premises. At the same time, Ms Mukobe defended the decision to allocate Jogoo House building to the police, saying that the move will enhance security, which she termed as extremely important for national development.

The PS spoke Thursday when she toured Jogoo House and addressed departmental heads of the former Ministry of Home Affairs at the Jogoo House Conference Room.

Thos present at the meeting included the department’s Director of Administration Josephat Kimeu Maingi, the Commissioner General of Prisons Isaiah Osugo and the Director of Probation Jerry Oloo.

 “We must realise that members of the public are our bosses and serve them with respect and diligence. We should also familiarise ourselves with the emerging complexities and challenges in our work environment so that we deliver on our mandates effectively” she said.