Sonko's County Public Service Board nominee admits he is poor in Kiswahili

One of the five nominees to the Nairobi County Public Service Board told a vetting committee on Tuesday that he is not conversant with Kiswahili.

Thomas Mweu,  a former Machakos councillor and MCA, surprised the MCAs who wanted to know how he will be communicating with the public if he got the job.

Unemployment, according to Mweu, is the main challenge facing Nairobi and "if approved to the board, I will ensure that all the people who get employed will be the ones up to the task and qualified."

The other nominees vetted were former Kakamega deputy speaker Abdihakim Mohamed, Aisha Wanjiku, Sharon Mirella and Consolata Muthoni. Governor Mike Sonko had forwarded their names to the office of the Speaker on May 8, 2019

Nominee Jack Owino did not submit his credentials and questionnaires, according to Labour committee chairman Peter Wanyoike.

 

Muthoni, a former school principal, said she would ensure that the staff were disciplined and that all policies were followed to the letter.

 

Mirella, who is an engineer, said the main challenge would be to ensure that the board worked independently.

"Regardless of the board working together with the executive and the legislature, both should know that the board is independent and let it work as per its mandate." 

Wanjiku said she would introduce proper working systems to ensure that every county officer was accountable.

Abdihakim said he would emphasize the need for teamwork and proper communication across all arms of the government.

The vetting committee will table its recommendation to the assembly next week on the suitability of the nominees.

“Even if we approve the candidates, the ball is in Sonko's court to give appointment letters," Wanyoike said.

The board has not been fully constituted since the beginning of the year. It has three members out of the initial seven. The others' contracts ended late last year.

Both the chairman's and CEO's terms of service expire next month.

According to Article 235 of the Constitution, the board should consist of the chairperson and five other members. Three or more members form a quorum. They are all appointed by the governor.

Some of the core functions of the board are establishing and abolishing offices in the county public service and appointing persons to hold or act in offices of the county public service.

The board disciplines and removes holders of public service offices and promotes the values and principles of governance and public service.

It evaluates and reports the extent to which the values and principles of governance and public service are complied with and makes a report annually to the county assembly.

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