CEC's asked to seek Sakaja's permission to do media interviews
Nairobi
By
Pkemoi Ngénoh
| Dec 22, 2023
Nairobi County Senior staff have been asked to seek clearance from Governor Johnson Sakaja before taking any media interviews.
The directive was given by Acting County Secretary and Head of Public Service, Patrick Analo in a memo dated December 19, 2023.
The memo was shared with all County Executive Committee members, county chief officers, and directors.
“This is to direct all officers invited for media interviews to seek authorization from the Governor before honoring the media interviews,” the memo reads.
Adding that, “we take cognizance of the fact that some officers are usually invited in their individual professional capacities,”
READ MORE
Regulation of fintech must promote stability and innovation
Ongoing labour unrests are early signs of an economy that's about to collapse
Trailers and weighbridges: The untold story
KTDA moves to restore order in tea bonus declarations
Madagascar tycoon to buy Zuku parent firm Wananchi Group
How container cash deposits are creating a problem for Kenyan traders
Gold rush: How illegal gallbladder trade threatens Lake Victoria fishers
Real estate posts high productivity as challenges hit wholesale, retail sectors
For this reason, the directive says those who fall into the aforementioned category must state that they have been individually invited to the talks due to their professional expertise.
However, Analo told The Standard that this is not aimed at gagging the officers from talking in public through the media.
“In a county that has 15,000 staff, we found it better to do that so any kind of contradiction can be avoided. The reason for seeking clearance from the governor is to inform him about the issues they want to address,” the county secretary responded.
He added that some staff are still new to the county and are still learning some things about it.
Some of the targets are those appearing on vernacular radio stations, which the secretary said have caused confusion.
"If the process of sharing information is not streamlined, it will cause some confusion. For instance, you will find that what the CEC is saying will be different from what Chief Officers or Directors are saying,” Analo added.
The directive comes days after Nairobi Chief Officers, while appearing in a TV interview, stated that the county was preparing to buy motor boats for county staff in preparation for El Nino rains.
During the interview, the Chief Officer expressed confidence in the county's readiness, highlighting the mobilization of essential assets like excavators and lorries.
“As a department, we are planning to procure motorboats and inflatable rafts to help us access flooded areas,” he stated, but the county later delinked itself from the remarks.