Over 200 staff at Wajir County assembly to lose job in retrenchment exercise

WAJIR—Over 200 staff at Wajir County Assembly will go home by Friday, a statement from the board secretary seen by Wajir Times has said.

Wajir County govenor, Ahmed Abdullahi addressing the assembly at past function

Osman Mohamed, who is also the county assembly clerk, said the board has employed 318 staff, ignoring the 98 ceiling set by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). Mohamed added that the retrenchment process would be done as per the law.

“We have contracted a consultancy firm to help us trim the staff and offer advice on human resource. We will fix the list as per department this Friday,” Mohamed said. The monthly wage bill of Wajir County government currently stands at Sh55 million.

The county clerk, who is also the board secretary at his office in Wajir.

Talks on staff retrenchment was started off by the county assembly members who decried of bloated workforce and the ballooning wage bill.

“The (retrenchment) exercise will include the most senior to the most junior officials,” Mr. Mohamed added.

However, not all the MCA’s are in support of the retrenchment exercise. Labour Committee chairman and Malkagufu ward, Yunis Hudow accused the Assembly Public Service Board of firing staff without justification. He said some of the individuals likely to be effected by the exercise left stable jobs.

“What will happen if they meet the axe” he asked.
The county clerk, Mr. Mohamed said those affected by the retrenchment would be offered a fat send off package.