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The Taita Taveta County Assembly has endorsed a proposal advising the county executive to suspend all new staff recruitment for a period of 90 days in order to address the increasing wage bill.
The decision made on Tuesday also mandates Governor Andrew Mwadime’s administration to carry out staff rationalization measures aimed at reducing the wage bill.
The assembly’s committee on administration, in its report, aims to address the issue of excessive recruitment by the decentralized unit.
Dorcus Mlughu, the committee chairperson, emphasized the report’s relevance, stating it would facilitate staff rationalization, including a comprehensive headcount to identify and eliminate ghost workers purportedly draining county finances.
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“We propose reassigning staff to departments with shortages, refining job descriptions for senior specialist positions, and reallocating teachers to areas facing shortages to control the mounting wage bill,” Mlughu stated during the adoption motion.
The Rong’e MCA disclosed disparities in staff numbers provided by the executive and the County Public Service Board, attributing them to the alarming increase in the county’s wage bill from Sh1.7 billion in the Financial Year 2016/2017 to Sh2.9 billion in the Financial Year 2022/2023.
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Mlughu expressed concern that unchecked recruitment would lead to a disproportionate number of staff members compared to available funds for development, potentially jeopardizing the county’s well-being.
She highlighted lingering issues in the county’s payroll, including deceased and retired employees still listed, urging immediate action from Mwadime’s administration to rectify discrepancies and enforce payroll integrity.
Additionally, Mlughu recommended prompt recruitment of a permanent secretary for the CPSB, citing a violation of the County Governments Act due to prolonged acting roles.
The committee’s report uncovered unauthorized hiring of 292 support staff by the executive, indicating overstaffing in non-priority areas, along with shortages of 156 ECDE teachers and 363 VTC instructors.
Deputy Speaker Anselm Mwadime acknowledged the growing concern of ballooning wage bills in devolved units, emphasizing the need to address irregular employment practices and the resultant fiscal strain.
While acknowledging the commitment to creating job opportunities, Mwadime endorsed a temporary recruitment freeze to address issues of irregular employment and the escalating wage bill, emphasizing the need for a balanced distribution of staff across various roles.
