The National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has resolved to summon the Public Service Commission (PSC) over what it termed irregular recruitment of staff in government ministries, following concerns raised in the Auditor-General’s report for the 2023/24 financial year.
The committee, chaired by Butere MP Tindi Mwale, reached the decision while examining audit reports for the State Departments for Diaspora Affairs and Forestry
During separate appearances before the committee, Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu and Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi were questioned over staffing anomalies flagged by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu.
According to the audit report, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs advertised 16 vacancies for Foreign Service Officers III but the PSC appointed 22 officers.
The report further indicated that an additional 28 Foreign Service Cadets were recruited beyond the department’s approved staff establishment.
Committee members questioned why the department accepted the additional officers despite lacking a budgetary allocation to accommodate them and sought an explanation on why the appointments were not rejected.
Responding to the concerns, Njogu told the committee that recruitment into the public service is the constitutional mandate of the PSC and not individual ministries.
Meanwhile, the Auditor-General’s report highlighted staffing imbalances in the State Department for Forestry.
The report indicated that the department had 82 administrative support staff against an approved establishment of 45, while only 11 technical officers were in post against an approved requirement of 86, leaving a shortage of 75 technical staff.
PS Mugambi attributed the imbalance to previous recruitment decisions and told MPs that the department was working with the PSC to redeploy excess administrative staff while filling critical technical positions.
The committee directed the Diaspora Affairs PS to provide the names of the 28 Foreign Service Cadets recruited beyond the approved establishment and submit details of the salaries and allowances paid to them.
Mwale said the committee would also summon officials from the PSC and the State Department for Public Service to explain the circumstances surrounding the recruitment.
"This is a matter of grave concern to this watchdog committee, and we want to get to the bottom of it. Kenyans must get value for their money," Mwale said.
The committee maintained that public institutions must adhere to approved staffing establishments and budgetary provisions to prevent wasteful expenditure and promote prudent use of taxpayers’ money.
PAC said its engagement with the PSC would seek to establish accountability for the recruitment decisions and recommend appropriate action where breaches of the law or public finance regulations are established.
