Vihiga County officers on go-slow to protest at advertised jobs

By Eric Lungai

Vihiga, Kenya: Vihiga County service delivery has temporarily stalled after the staff seconded to it by the national government went on a go-slow protesting the advertisement of their positions.

The Transition Authority officers have been working in the county and despite other positions having been advertised, some have not, causing discomfort among the employees.

Recently, the County Assembly Members (MCAs) raised concern that some officers are sitting in offices yet they had not been employed following the due process as required by the law, and thus wanted the positions advertised.

However, Governor Moses Akaranga said if the due process is supposed to be followed in employing officers to the county government, then he did not see reason why some of his officers should strike and evade the process.

“The constitution is very clear regarding the employment of officers to the county governments. We want to have those people who are meet all the qualifications occupying the positions in the county government. We will not favour anybody as we want to be free and fair in our hiring,” Mr Akaranga said. 

The departments of Finance and Procurement are some of those most hit as nearly all the officers working in them were seconded by the national government.

Some of the officers who talked to The Standard claimed of a plot to get them out of their current positions intentionally.

“We know that there are some people who are working hard to see that we are out of the positions that we hold, perhaps because we have been very strict in releasing money,” the officer said.

The MCAs wanted the positions to be advertised so that the recruitment could favour any other person from the county and that no one should feel the officers got their jobs on a silver platter.

“We don’t know why some positions have not been advertised by the County Public Service Board. We want the governor to make sure that anybody who is serving in the county is well qualified for the position he holds,” Leader of Majority, Andrew Ahuga said, on the floor of the assembly in a recent sitting.

The county assembly has already advertised the position of the clerk where they confirmed the one who had been seconded by the Transition Authority.

Akaranga said he was working on modalities to make sure that the county has competent staff who will help steer his agenda ahead.

“Those officers who were seconded to my government should not be worried because their jobs are supposed to be advertised. If they qualify for positions they are holding, we will definitely consider them after they apply afresh,” he said.