Nairobi,KENYA:The Commission on Administrative Justice “office of the Ombudsan ” has warned governors over the dismissal of county employees haphazardly without following due process .
In a media briefing in Nairobi ,the chairperson of the Administrative Justice Dr Regina Mwatha warned governors against harassing county employees by threatening and sacking them without following the law, warning that such an action would amount to abuse of power which can lead to their removal from office.
“The acts would amount to abuse of power by governors within the meaning of Article 5(2) and chapter six of the constitution as well as the commission on administrative Justice act for which action can be taken against the governors ,including their removal from office.”Regina said
She warned that such acts may expose county governments to unnecessary litigation which might lead to huge losses for some county governments.
Regina said that such acts might stage politicization of county governments whereby employees will be expected to advance political interests of the governor thus leading to the culture of political partronage.
She urged governors to put on hold any actions that they intend to take against the employees of county governments because their positions are safeguarded by law.
She insisted that any county government which will be found culpable of such misconduct the governor will be held personally liable .
The commission urged the county governments to address human resource challenges whenever they arise through legal and human resource policies to avert victimization of such employees.
Several governors who include Alfred Mutua of Machakos and Kiraitu Murungi of Meru have been put in the spotlight over firing of county staff since they took office.
