• Sonko has accused individuals from the National Government for having chosen to pursue the implementation of the Deed of Transfer of Functions in an atrocious and repugnant manner.
Image: JACK OWUOR
Stand off at City Hall as Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko tells county staff to ignore directive by the Public Service Commission that saw 6052 employees seconded to the newly formed Nairobi Metropolitan Service.
Sonko has accused individuals from the National Government for having chosen to pursue the implementation of the Deed of Transfer of Functions in an atrocious and repugnant manner.
On Friday, the Public Service Commission Chairman Stephen Kirogo through a notice said 6052 county staff should report on Monday April 6 and Tuesday 7th from 8:00 am-4:00 pm for documentation and collection of letters of secondment at the Kenyatta International Convention Center.
He said the secondment of the staff of the county government of Nairobi under the transferred functions to Nairobi Metropolitan Services became effective from April 1, 2020.
PSC stated that action will be taken to the staff who will fail to show up.
Expressing his displeasure, Governor Sonko on Saturday said that the newly formed Nairobi Metropolitan Service through the PSC has demonstrated impunity by ordering the staff to appear at K.I.C.C on Monday, despite the Presidential Directive expressly prohibiting all public gatherings.
“They have totally disregarded the great risk they shall be exposing to these employees as the country battles with the COVID-19 pandemic that has so far claimed four (4) lives and infected over 100 people,” Sonko said.
According to the Governor, Nairobi Metropolitan Services and the Public Service Commission has no current jurisdiction whatsoever over the employees of the Nairobi City County Government.
“As it stands, the responsibility still remains with the Nairobi County Public Service Board to notify its employees of the purported secondment. The Public Service Commission, on the other hand, should operate within its mandate, and can only second national government officers to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services,” he said
Taking a flashback on March 18, 2020 during the handover ceremony of the transferred functions at State House .
The county boss explains that President Uhuru Kenyatta was categorical that, the historic event marked the beginning of a partnership and collaboration between his administration and the newly created Nairobi Metropolitan Services to see to the smooth implementation of the Deed that was gazetted on February 25, 2020.
The Governor claims that few overzealous individuals within the national government have been overtaken by excitement, and have chosen to break all known laws and the provisions of the Deed of Transfer, to pursue their narrow and myopic interests at the expense of the goodwill and good intentions held by the President and myself for the great people of Nairobi.
“There are a few individuals who have chosen to hijack the noble mission that the President and I embarked on to move Nairobi forward, but I wish to assure them that their sinister motives shall not succeed,” Sonko said
“ The result is the anarchy that is quickly brewing, where all known protocols and procedures are being blatantly broken in the name of operationalizing the NMS. I want to assure them that that will never happen under my watch,” he added.
As a result, Sonko has cancelled the scheduled gathering meant to take place on Monday and Tuesday until further notice
Also all county employees have been directed to ignore any further communication regarding the Transfer of Functions from any quarters whatsoever, whenever that communication is NOT in writing and copied to the Governor and the County Secretary.
Sonko has also advised the county staff to ignore the threats allegedly issued by the PSC, on behalf of the NMS.
Stamping authority, the Governor states that Nairobi will not be governed by intimidation and threats that lack in legal standing.
“The Nairobi County Public Service Board shall advise, in due course, the procedure and the process of the secondment, in a manner than shall address all the concerns that the County employees have raised with the PSC, through their Union, the Nairobi City County Government Workers Union (NCGWU),” he said.
In addition, Governor Sonko has urged county employees to continue discharging their duties diligently, as the county harmonize the process of the implementation of the Deed of Transfer, to ensure that their welfare and concerns are well addressed.