State rebrands Provincial Administration

By STANDARD REPORTER

Kenya: Officers from the defunct Provincial Administration have formally been re-designated as national Government administration officers.

In a statement, Interior Co-ordination Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo said the national function will be known as the national government administration office,” said

 “Both officers and the office will hence be known by the acronym Ngao,” said Iringo. These include the Regional Co-ordinators who will be based in Jogoo House, Nairobi, co-ordinating a cluster of counties.

Others include 47 county commissioners, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, chiefs and assistant chiefs. All the officers serving under the new legal framework have been formally appointed, he said.

The changes follow the signing of the Executive Order by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“In tandem with this reform, the ministry has changed the name of these officers and the overall function at the national level,” said Iringo. 

The CS said the 47 Ngao county commissioners will be expected to organise all other officers in the country.  He said the Ngao officers are in charge of the national Government functions as clearly stipulated in schedule four of the Constitution.

Security committees

“That role does not include functions assigned to the county governments under the same schedule. In addition Ngao county commissioners will chair the county security committees as spelt out in the National Security Act,” Iringo said.

He said Ngao officers should hold regular meetings with the sister structure in the devolved government to exchange of ideas. He said this is in line with the apex arrangement where the President meets regularly with the Council of Governors through the Summit,” he said.

 “Equally I urge all governors to do likewise and take advantage of the streamlined structures under Ngao for effective co-operation between the two levels of government,” said Iringo.

He said the ministry will continue to strengthen Ngao to ensure smooth operations of the national government at the grassroots, improve security, fight crime and counter terrorism. Other roles are fighting illicit brews, eliminate poaching, reduce traffic accidents in their areas and coordinate the speedy issuance of birth certificates, IDs and passports.