The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and the 22 Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) collectively hired 250 personal staff during the financial year ending in June 2023, contributing to the trend of non-competitive recruitment within public offices.
A recent report by the Public Service Commission (PSC) revealed that these 250 individuals were recruited either as personal staff or advisors for Mr. Gachagua and the CSs, following the 2023 general elections.
Non-competitive recruitment, characterized by handpicking individuals rather than a fair and transparent selection process, was cited by the PSC as the method used for these appointments.
According to the PSC, reasons given for these non-competitive appointments included the hiring of personal staff for the Deputy President and advisors for Cabinet Secretaries, which are typically not subject to competitive selection.
The Constitution mandates that appointments and promotions in the public service should be based on fair competition and merit, with exceptions only for cases where certain groups such as genders, ethnic communities, or persons with disabilities are under-represented.
During the same period, the PSC disclosed that 47 state entities recruited a total of 1,443 employees through non-competitive processes.
Treasury records indicate that the budget for Mr. Gachagua’s office was increased by Sh759.4 million to Sh4.29 billion in October of the previous year, citing the need for operational enhancements and boardroom refurbishment.
The PSC did not provide a breakdown of the staff specifically recruited for Mr. Gachagua’s office versus those hired by the 22 Cabinet Secretaries who took office on October 27, 2022.
Additionally, the PSC noted discrepancies in staffing at State House, where 483 employees were on payroll but not included in the staff register, potentially allowing for unauthorized recruitment.
Non-competitive recruitment was most prevalent in state corporations and semi-autonomous government agencies, with 466 officers hired through this process, followed by ministries and state departments with 290 officers.
The report also highlighted that non-competitive appointments primarily increased the representation of certain ethnic groups, such as the Kalenjin, Kikuyu, and Luo, while overlooking groups like persons with disabilities, women, and youth.
