Spot check reveals ‘Poor’ service at Isiolo State offices

By Ali Abdi

Isiolo, Kenya: A spot check by the Commission on Administrative Justice in Isiolo town has found glaring lack of service at government departments.

The commission’s visit to most of the offices at 10am found that the workers had not reported to work.

The team was led by the chairperson Otiende Amollo, vice chairperson Dr Regina Mwathi and Commissioner Saadia Mohammed.

They visited Ardhi House that serves upper Eastern region, Tuberculosis village, Isiolo District Hospital, Isiolo police station, the Law Courts and Isiolo North constituency development office.

At Ardhi House, the team noted that by 10am, some workers including senior officers had not reported for duty. “Members of the public we talked to complained that they could not get services related to land due to this (reporting to work late),” said Amollo.

He spoke at Catholic Pastoral Centre hall during a forum with residents, which was attended by Isiolo deputy governor Mohammed Guleid and County Commissioner Musiambo Wanyama.

In-patient services at the old Isiolo District Hospital that caters for patients with TB had been suspended, the commission found out.

“The TB manyatta that serves patients from Isiolo, Marsabit and Moyale has only one vehicle and has no nutritionist. Treating TB patients from home exposes others to the disease,” said Amollo.

By about 10am, sessions at the Isiolo Law Court had not started and the facility lacked labels to help people find their way around the building.

Officers at Isiolo police station were found to lack courtesy while serving the public and suspects especially at the Occurrence Book section.

No funds

A subordinate staff was found cleaning rooms in preparation for the day’s work at around 9.30am at the department of Immigration’s birth and death section.

At Isiolo North Constituency Development Fund (CDF) office, which was ranked second last in the country last year in terms of usage of funds and project implementation, the officials found that most locals did not even know its physical location.

Absenteeism and reporting to work late was also noted at Isiolo District Hospital while at Ewaso Ng’iro North Development Authority, the team heard that the State Corporation has no development funds.

Guleid said the county government had inherited numerous problems related to land from the defunct county council, adding that his administration will address the issues.