The Siaya County Public Board has denied claims that they hired more people than the requests they received from departments.
According to the board CEO Wilfred Nyagudi, the board advertised for 385 vacant positions.
The vacancy announcement was made in May.
On Sunday, amid claims that the board had given letters to more than the existing vacancies, the board's CEO denied the claims.
"We have only filled the vacant positions which were advertised," the CEO clarified.
The CEO stated that the County Public Service Board has officially submitted the list of successful candidates to the County Chief Officers for deployment.
"We have done this following a successful recruitment, selection and onboarding process," the CEO told the Star on Sunday.
He further disclosed that in areas where the board failed to get qualified and suitable candidates, a decision was taken to have them readvertised.
He said that each Chief Officer of departments which requested for procurement of staff has been issued with the list of all the filled vacancies
"We have also provided them with a list of the vacancies where the board did not find qualified and suitable candidates which has since been re-advertised," he said.
Nyagudi disclosed that 21,772 applications were received when the positions were advertised.
"The board advertised for 385 vacancies which attracted over 21,772 applicants from all over the country," he said.
The CEO said besides the recruitment and selection of successful candidates, the board undertook the onboarding process which involved submission, verification and authentication of certified copies of certificates.
The board also looked at the applicants, initial declaration of wealth, assets and liabilities, submission of bank account details, health examination form, next of kin forms, pension and gratuity membership among other rituals.
This process, according to the CEO, took a considerable amount of time which consequently delayed the release of duly appointed candidates to the Chief Officers.
"Employment and recruitment practices in the public service require that successful candidates are issued with adequate notice to pick offer of appointment and thereafter appointment letters," he said.
He further said the candidates are also expected to indicate the dates when they are likely to officially report for work in line with the provisions of the Employment Act.
Nyagudi said that the board noted that a certain cadre of staff in the technical areas like medical specialists, physical planners, veterinary officers and radiographers are slow at picking appointment letters.
This, he explained, was due to the high demand associated with their services.
"Furthermore, the board in its analysis of applicants’ database has established that due to the oversupply and high rates of unemployment in the country, about 60 per cent of the applicants had more than the minimum requisite job requirements," the CEO revealed.
He said this has seen many applicants opting for job opportunities which fall below their qualifications.
Section 57 of the County Governments Act No. 17 of 2012 establishes the County Public Service Board as a body corporate with perpetual succession and seal capable of suing and being sued in its corporate name.
Furthermore, Section 59A of the County Government (Amendment) Act 2020 affirms the independence of the County Public Service Board in the performance of its mandate.
The CEO told the Star that while undertaking the recruitment, the board adhered to all the constitutional, legal and procedural processes guiding the recruitment process in the public service.
"The board continues to urge the public to ignore malicious and slanderous statements being propagated by bloggers whose main agenda is to blackmail the name of the board for cheap publicity," he said.
He said that the board encourages feedback on its operations and appeals to the public with any information and evidence of any irregularity to report.
"Anyone who has any piece of evidence in our processes should do the right thing by reporting to the relevant authority for investigations to be conducted," Nyagudi said.
He said that the Board remains steadfast in the discharge of its mandate.
"The job opportunities available in the public service are limited and not everybody can be absorbed into the service," he said.
"We urge those who did not get a chance to try next time."
The CEO said that the nature of the accusations against the board has been evolving which points to their apparent lack of credibility.
He said that the Public Service Board, as a data processor, remains open to providing information to its stakeholders within the existing legal frameworks while taking into account matters relating to applicants' right to privacy of information.
