The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is probing county governments suspected to have ballooned their wage bill through a combination of nepotism and illegal employment practices.
EACC detectives have now turned their focus on governors and their officers over bloated workforces following numerous complaints lodged against them over a hiring spree, burdening the taxpayers and using huge portions of their budgets on recurrent expenditure.
Commission detectives are already in a number of counties following claims governors have been rewarding cronies with little regard to employment laws.
Some of the concerns flagged by EACC detectives include use of fake academic documents, clanism and nepotism.
Marsabit County is the first casualty. Governor Mohamud Ali’s cabinet members have been summoned to record statements with the investigators.
In a letter sent to County Secretary Malicha Boru, EACC officer Kipsang Sambai -- acting on behalf of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Twalib Mbarak -- said 16 officials will be grilled for two days.
According to the letter, the affected officers, drawn from various departments including human resources (HR), are instructed to present themselves at the EACC offices in Isiolo for the ongoing investigations.
Skewed employment
Though the exact number of staff affected has not been made public, previous summons by the agency officials in relations to allegations of skewed employment have been ignored. The latest summons were dated May 17 and 28.
“The commission would like the county chief officers, payroll officer Sebastian Lekalesike and HR director Galgalo Doyo to respond to these allegations and record a statement regarding the same,” reads the letter dated June 6 by Sambai.
“To this end, you are required to notify the officers to appear at the EACC offices in Isiolo County as per the schedule.”
The schedule has Chief Officers Abdi Goto (trade), Wario Bule Sora (public works), Abdullahi Barako (lands), Golicha Dima (Agriculture), Adano Umuro (environment), James Orre (water), Hitler Rukoi (fisheries) and Wario Sori (livestock).
Others are Fatuma Jilo (Health), Muktar Intalo (Energy), Fatuma Said (Roads) Grace Galmo (education), Fatuma Nur (Skills) and Samuella Lolokuru (Administration).
“Take notice that failure to comply with this notice shall render you liable to penal consequences as stipulated under section 27(3) as read with section 27(4) of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act no.3 of 2003,” warned Sambai.
“On conviction, the same attracts a fine of Sh300,000 or imprisonment for a term of three years or both.”
The summoned officers are to have their day with EACC officers Benson Emuget and David Mutua between Monday and Tuesday.
North Eastern counties of Wajir, Garissa, Mandera and Isiolo are among many others greatly affected by clan politics.
Other regions targeted are Nyanza, Western, Coast, North Eastern, Central Rift Valley and Eastern.
Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu was at the EACC offices last month to answer to claims of irregular appointment of one of her County Executive Committee members.
Governor Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia) has been accused of approving employment of more than 20 personnel as his communications officers, 12 security men popularly known as bouncers, 11 drivers and 15 liaison officers.
The Capacity Assessment and Rationalisation of the Public Service Programme (Carps), survey conducted in the 47 counties in June 2016 revealed that the devolved units are overstaffed.
Bloated workforce
In Nairobi County, for instance, more than 400 workers exited in February through natural attrition in only five months as the county government struggled with a bloated workforce costing it a monthly wage of Sh1.1 billion.
Mbarak said investigations will cut across all counties following public outcry.
“We are probing cases of outright fake documents, hiring of unskilled employees and from various clans, promotions done without merit and nepotism. The employment regulations have been abused and those found liable will be prosecuted,” said Mbarak.
