I'll retain competent Ngilu chief officers - governor Malombe

Kitui Governor Julius Malombe has given chief officers who served under his predecessor Charity Ngilu the leeway to serve in his administration.

Malombe, however, said the olive branch is extended to those officers who are qualified and competent. 

"We will do deployment before we advertise because advertisements we must do for chief officers. And you are at liberty to apply if you think you will be qualified,” Malombe said on Monday.

He opposed the tradition where top officers who served under an outgoing regime quit once the governor leaves office.

The governor was speaking during his first meeting since he was elected. At least 4000 Kitui county government workers were present. 

Malombe also hinted at reshuffling the county staff through deployments across departments for efficiency in service delivery.

But despite the assurance to retain the old staff, Malombe told the workers the redeployment exercise will not spare incompetent officers.

The governor who was in the company of his deputy Augustine Kanani met the county staff at the Ithookwe showground.

He also revealed that his administration had inherited a huge debt of about Sh2 billion.

Her said the controller of budget put the figure of pending bills Sh1.8 billion six weeks ago but internal audits found the figure to be Sh2 billion.

“Although I stand to be corrected, the figure has gone up substantially to almost approximately Sh2 billion,” the governor said.

He observed that a technical review committee would be constituted to look into the pending bills issue and establish the modalities of payment and assured that pending bills found to be genuine will be paid. 

"Those are our people who were given work legitimately by an institution called county government of Kitui which is a body corporate and exists in perpetuity. Its life does not cease. We cannot bury our heads in the sand but we cannot pay frauds,” Malombe affirmed.

He said the team to evaluate the pending bills will comprise people of integrity and technical know-how and those with financial background.

"Paying we must and as it is being done, we do not hanky punky business,” he said.