Nairobi County to sack 700 inspectorate officers hired by outdated NMS

The Nairobi County Assembly has approved the sacking of about 700 inspectorate officers who were recruited during the tenure of Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS).

The City ward reps also adopted a report detailing how the executive through the national public service board attempted to extend the contract of the officers even after NMS time had lapsed.

The motion approving the sacking of the officers was tabled by nominated ward rep Wanjiru Kariuki and was unanimously supported in the house.

Further, some MCA's telling Sakaja to be cautious when making roadside declarations.

"We need them to return to the sender (executive), I understand that they have not been paid but they don't have a contract with County of Nairobi," Minority leader Anthony Kiragu told the assembly

He added that, "When they were asked to leave they caused some chaos in the streets of Nairobi until the governor made a roadside declaration for them to come back. It is their time to go,"

On his part Karura MCA Kamau Thuo said if the County has to employ son or future it to do it in the right manner and the County Service should be in charge of the process.

"The national public service board has no mandate as far as this process is concerned, the recruitment of the officers was not done properly even in terms of jobs groups," Thuo stated.

The labour committee in report stated the County is under no obligation to absorb the enforcement officers recruited under the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

"The cadets were recruited by the Public Service Commission whereas the County establishment does not have such cadres," the reports stated in part.

The committee in its recommendations said that the Public Service Commission did the recruitment for the inspectorate but on contract that the County Public Service Board was not involved the body mandated.

For this reason, they recommended that the officers be deregistered from the National government.

"The security and compliance department as a user department should make their request to the County Public Service Board, on the need to have recruitment for more inspectorate staff," the committee report added.

Sometimes this year, assured the officers that their contract will be renewed and asked them to continue working.

"You are requested to release the officers to report to Dagoretti Training College on Friday 3rd at 8am. Kindly inform them to carry their working tools, uniform and ceremonial dressing for further instructions," statement from the County instructed.

In 2021, the defunct NMS, under Director General Mohamed Badi, announced the recruitment of 700 enforcement officers who replaced those who retired and some who resigned.

In May last year, 241 recruits were absorbed as constables and given three-year renewable contracts subject to satisfactory performance.

However, their contracts were affected by the termination of NMS that was established by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta during the regime of Mike Sonko.

NMS was created in 2020 after an agreement with the then administration that led to the transfer of four key functions from the Nairobi City County Government to the National Government.