Keep off my chiefs, CS tells politicians
The government will protect chiefs and other administrative officers from political harassment in the run-up to next year’s General Election.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the officials jobs were safe as long as they are professional in their duties and are executing the government’s agenda.
He said there were numerous attempts by politicians and their associates to instigate the transfer or sacking of government officials on flimsy grounds.
“We are aware of many demands and threats by politicians for the sacking and transfer of government officers. The day we allow politicians to manage our personnel, we will have lost our focus. We will protect you for as long as your only crime is prosecuting the government agenda,” he said.
He, however, cautioned chiefs and other administrative officers against engaging in partisan politics saying they were duty-bound to support the government of the day by popularising its policies.
The CS, who was addressing deputy county commissioners, assistant county commissioners, chiefs and assistants chiefs from Makueni County, also said the government will promote officers across the ranks of the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) structure on merit.
Matiang’i (pictured) said this could see a hard-working chief rise to the position of county commissioner or an even higher rank.
More vehicles
“There is absolutely no reason why a hard-working chief should not rise to become a county commissioner or an even more senior rank. We have a deliberate programme to encourage chiefs to upgrade their certificates and to aspire to higher levels of leadership,” he said.
The CS, who was accompanied by Secretary of Administration Wilson Njega and Makueni County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed, said more vehicles will be made available to grassroots administrators through the vehicle leasing programme.
