Nandi County: Hon Emmanuel Rono Quizzes Nandi Health Ministry's Skewed Employment Practices

Ol'lessos Ward representative Emmanuel Rono


Hon. Emmanuel Rono who is the member of County Assembly representing Ol'lessos Ward put the County Executive Committee member for Health and Sanitation, Ruth Koech to task to explain why there was skewed employment of workers in her ministry.

The member who also sits in the county assembly's health committee wanted to know why a fellow who graduated in 2018 was employed on a permanent and pensionable basis while someone who had served for the past three years was still under the contractual employment terms.

On her part, CEC Ruth Koech told the house committee that, her department was not responsible for employment of county staff clarifying that the same was the preserve of the County Public Service Board. She also informed the house committee that people with same academic qualifications could have different levels of experiences hence handle issues differently.

In a rejoinder, Hon. Rono stated that there was a problem with the human resource departments in both the public service board and the health ministry. He noted that it was against international best practices for the county to employ a newly graduated employee on a permanent and pensionable basis without subjecting them to probationary terms.

The CEC pointed out the fact that the new employee might have worked in another institution hence qualifying through experience.

Kilibwoni ward representative Hon. Cynthia Muge noted that indeed there was a problem on how staff were recruited into the department. She suggested that the County Public Service Board should be invited to the committee to shed light on how those vacancies were filled. She however thanked the CEC and her officers for always honoring the committee's invites.

Nominated member of the Assembly Hon. Terry Maiyo asked the Health CEC to explain whether she felt that the employees who were bypassed in the permanent and pensionable terms would channel their frustrations to the members of the patients seeking treatment in the public health facilities. on her part, Mrs. Ruth stated that the county has employed professionals who can work under any circumstances.

The session took place earlier in the morning at the Nandi County Assembly chambers and was chaired by Nandi Hills MCA Hon. Gideon Koech.

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