County News
EACC probes how Garissa county hired 85 new employees without going through due process
Garissa Governor Ali Korane maintains counties have liberty to choose who to employ (Courtesy)
GARISSA—The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating how Garissa County recruited 85 new employees without advertising, shortlisting or interviewing the employees for the jobs, the State broadcaster, KBC reports.
EACC officers are already conducting forensic investigations over the alleged illegal employment at the Garissa County Government.
The investigators have been conducting face-to-face interview with those said to have benefitted from the same.
County Secretary Abdi Mohammed Sheikh even wrote an internal memo on 15th March this year requesting all directors, Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors to avail their academic certificates by 22nd March 25, 2019.
This after National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale claimed counties in Northern Kenya are employing unqualified staff at the expense of those with genuine academic papers.
Garissa Governor Ali Korane has however dismissed the claims saying employment in County Governments is well structured and all employees are recruited depending on needs.
Garissa Governor, Ali Korane told off Aden Duale amid renewed debate on the county’s alleged hiring of unqualified staffs.
The debate was sparked by Duale who, without mentioning Garissa in particular, castigated the county administrations for hiring “unqualified personnel” instead of “professionals.”
”It is very unfair to employ people who have no university credentials when we have graduates,” Duale said on weekend during the launch of the Pastoralists Education Fair in Garissa town.
Speaking during the launch of a programme for the treatment and care of diabetes among children, the Governor said the matter had taken a political dimension.
” I want to inform those gossiping that Garissa county has employed unqualified personnel that we are a devolved government and at liberty to employ staff who will have an input to service delivery,” the Governor said.
”It was wrong for a national government agency to succumb to political blackmail and start harassing innocent county staff through unwarranted summons,” Korane added.
The Governor said county governments were independent entities thcreated by the constitution and were not subservient to other government institutions.
“The constitution has empowered us and we won’t hesitate to pluck a cattle herder from the oblivion and recruit him or her to serve in offices so long as they are adding value based on their experience,” Korane notes.
Garissa county assembly speaker, Ahmed Ibrahim Abass alleged that, “A local politician had incited the national government agency against the County government.”
He termed Duale’s statements as “unfortunate and baseless.”
He said the county assembly has qualified members who were mandated to undertake oversight role and warned Members of the National Assembly not to overstep their mandate.
