Head of Inspectorate department Tito Kilonzi has dismissed claims some officers were promoted and others demoted because of their ethnic background.
He said no staff member has been demoted. Last month, Pumwani MCA Paul Irungu raised concern over alleged skewed demotions and promotions. He said some directors and senior officers were stripped of their ranks and given tasks meant for junior staff. He said this was done under unclear circumstances.
Irungu requested the county assembly Labour committee to investigate. He urged the team to come up with a full list of staff from the department, including their ranks.
The list that was finally submitted had only eight ethnic groups represented, with the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities dominating.
Fourteen are Kikuyu, Kalenjin (six), Kisii (five), Luo (three), two each from the Kamba, Luhya and Maasai communities and one Somali.
Last week, Kilonzi told the Labour committee that Irungu misinterpreted a regular redeployment initiative undertaken to improve services.
Redeployment must not be misconstrued to mean demotion, he told the MCAs.
“None of our staff has been demoted to a junior position. We’re aware people have misinterpreted the redeployment we have periodically undertaken, especially of the senior officers, to mean demotion, which it’s not,” the security compliance chief officer said.
He said the reposting is done without malice but considers academic qualifications and one’s ability to perform a given task.
The committee also heard that the County Public Service Board has the power to appoint a person to a position in a substantive or an acting capacity. Last month, the Nairobi City Workers Union also accused Kilonzi of sabotaging the department and intimidating staff. He denied wrongdoing.
Deputy county secretary Leboo Morintat — also the Public Service Management chief officer — said he was not aware of any senior officers who were relegated to junior positions.
“County chief officers are responsible for human resource issues within their sectors. They do this in consultation with PSM chief officer, office of the county secretary and the head of county public service. So far we’ve not received any promotion from the Board for implementation,” Leboo said.
Board CEO Meshack Guto said the board will investigate and take appropriate action.