By Kurgat Marindany
Self proclaimed prophet and Nominated MCA, Onesmas Ngogoyo, says the ‘stars’ tell him the entire county Public Service Board commissioners “will go home”.
Ngogoyo, who spoke during this year’s Ushirika Day in Kiserian, said he might not be a prophet but swore before a mammoth crowd the board is to go home.
He appealed to Governor Joseph ole Lenku, who was the guest of the day, to keep some safe distance as the assembly deals with the board “accordingly”.
The nominated MCA was reacting to a damning report on the board made by the County Assembly Committee on Public Service which claimed that the committee is riddled with “nepotism” and mired by clannism issues.
The board made headlines after it short- listed job applicants that did not please the residents of Kajiado, with most of them claiming that deserving job seekers were left out in “favour of relatives of the board commissioners”.
It was Keek-Onyokie MCA, Moses Saoyo, who fired the first salvo when he said he is saddened by the “wayward” actions of the board.
“I am saddened that in this century people could discriminate others and only employ their relatives,” said Saoyo as he looked around to check facial reaction of the crowd.
Saoyo said the county assembly is going to act against the board accordingly as provided by the law, and told those shortlisted earlier not to worry as they will still get their fair size of the cake.
Ongata Rongai MCA, Mwathi Pere said, “If that board thinks they will oppress the people of Kajiado, I am advising them to forget that completely, it can never happen”.
ODM nominated MCA Sandra Mario was applauded when she stated that the county assembly will not allow any resident of Kajiado to suffer in the hands of people who the assembly has powers to send home.
“We will not stand to be part of those dividing this great county by clan or tribal profiling, and nepotism in the distribution of resources,” Mario said.
Self proclaimed ‘General’ Philip Mpaayei, who appeared visibly irritated over the board’s alleged action said; “Discrimination of qualified people will never be allowed”.
He said even before the county assembly sends the board home, it is him as the ambassador of devolution that shall send the board home.
Reacting to outburst by elected leaders, Lenku made it clear that employment and resources in the county will be shared equally without any discrimination.
Kajiado MCAs had previously unanimously voted against recent short listing of job applicants, citing alleged anomalies in the process.
The County Public Service Board shortlisted 463 out of 740 applicants for various jobs earlier advertised.
The vote by the county assembly followed a public outcry on the short-listing. The youth and local populace took to social media to highlight the alleged irregularities.
The leaders were reacting to a county assembly report tabled in the House a week earlier when the committee of public service claimed the short listing of job seekers was a sham.
Chairing the session at the assembly, Deputy Speaker, Joseph Masiaya, said the matter is of public interest. He said the process by the CPSB is a “sham”.
Earlier on that day, according to the assembly Hansard, the Sectoral Committee on Public Service, administration and Citizen participation of the House chaired by MCA Peter Parsen grilled the County Public Service Board Chairman, John ole Moyaki and two commissioners; Joseph Nailole and Wilson Tonkei, whose submissions, he said, failed to convince the Committee.
Parsen moved the motion in the House seeking the withdrawal of the shortlisted candidates which, he said; “fell short of the legal requirement”.
The nine member committee called on the board to initiate a new process for short-listing of candidates to the advertised positions and comply with all constitutional and statutory requirements.
Justus Ngossor (Ewuaso Oonkidong’i) said there was lack of inclusivity in the selection.
“In my Ward one clan got 99 per cent of the slots in the list. This is discriminatory and complete lack of inclusivity as required by the law,” stated Ngossor.
Ildamat MCA, Samuel Teum and nominated MCA Mario Sandra sought to know why the board’s consideration of the minority tribes was not factored in the process.
“The board has failed to convince us on how one tribe becomes a minority in such a cosmopolitan county,” noted Teum. Henry Kimiti (Kenyewa/Poka) claimed the board was likely to have been arm-twisted by some leaders with vested interest to break the law in the short-listing process.
“It is surprising that the board had to be coerced into allowing some county executive committee members to reward cronies for political gains,” observed Kimiti in the assembly.
“The list failed to factor in the people with disabilities; the law requires that 5 per cent of employees be PWDs but this was not the case and only one person was shortlisted,” argued Nominated MCA Josephine Sharaar.
The board chair appealed to the assembly to allow it complete the work arguing the names do not identify the tribes or the minority.
The embattled Board has since bowed to pressure following the public outcry. In a letter written by the Board Secretary/ CEO, Moses Semera dated July 9 and addressed to County Assembly Clerk, Leboo Saisa, the agency says it had postponed the contentious recruitments pending legal advise they had sought.
” The Board has taken note of the contents of the Report and its recommendations. Please note that the ongoing interviews have been postponed indefinitely as the Board seeks external legal advice to enable it take an informed position on the matter” says Semera in the letter also copied to Governor Joseph Lenku seen by County Press.
Meanwhile, Kajiado County politician Peter ole Musei has called on Governor Joseph ole Lenku to involve an independent auditor to investigate Kajiado Public Service Board.
Musei who was among contenders of Kajiado North Member of Parliament seat said the ongoing war between the Kajiado county assembly and the board is delaying development in the county, he said right procedures must be followed when dealing with such issues.
Kajiado County Youth Alliance secretary general Latema Tipape had also called on the county government to investigate the matter.