Mombasa MCAs vow to stop recruitment of new inspectorate officers

Mombasa County Assembly Labour and Public Service Administration committee has vowed to defend the county inspectorate officers whose contracts allegedly came to an end last December.

The 105 county inspectorate officers were sent home after serving the county for 11 years.

According to Mombasa County Governance and Serikali Mashinani Chief Officer Rukiya Nassir, the officers were sent home upon the expiry of their contracts.

Speaking after she was summoned by the Labour Committee to give the status of inspectorate recruitment, appraisal and termination from employment, Rukiya said out of the 105 officers, 11 were sent home due to disciplinary cases.

She told the Labour Committee that Mombasa requires at least 520 inspectorate officers, and currently, there are only 388 officers.

The department has identified a deficit of 132 officers in the inspectorate unit.

She added there are 15 inspectorate officers, whose contracts are coming to an end this March, three officers died last year and nine have retired.

Rukiya informed the house that she took over the department in December 2023, at the same time when the contracts of some inspectorate officers were coming to an end.

“We submitted our request to the County Secretary to fill the gaps of the expired contracts in February, and also carried out staff data verification to establish the capacities of all inspectorate officers to capitalise on their strengths and deploy them where they fit well,” she said.

She said that they called the officers whose contracts had expired or were expiring within three months, to reassure them that they would be given priority in consideration for employment, adding that there will be a recruitment process which will be fair for all and will be conducted on one level.

Appraisal process

She added that the appraisal process was done for all staff, and all of them will retain their positions.

“For fairness and inclusivity, we recommended advertisement for the posts of the expired contract and those who wish to be re-engaged need to apply for them, they will have an added advantage,” she said.

Mombasa County Governance and Serikali Mashinani Chief Officer Rukiya Nassir when she appeared before the House Labour Committee. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

However, the MCAs led by the committee chair, Jacktoneoll Madialo questioned why they carried out the appraisal process for the 105 officers and still did not renew their contracts, asking them to apply afresh for the same opportunity.

“Some of these people whose contracts have expired worked for the county government from 2013 up until 2024, those are 11 years. They were taken through training, and a lot of resources were used to equip them with skills, and they have experience,” said Madialo.

“We are not talking about the 11 with disciplinary issues, a person who has served all this time is not a stranger, this is one person who may have gained weight and here you are subjecting the same person to go and run along with 18-year-old boys and girls. Don’t you think that these people will be disadvantaged?”

Shimanzi ward MCA Priscillah Mumba said that county inspectorate officers in Mombasa are the backbone of the region.

Mumba, who is also the Assembly Chief Whip, said that it would be sad for officers to go home because their contracts have not been renewed.

“I had promised them that when their contract comes to an end, I will make sure that they are renewed in the new regime. We did not change the party, we are all from the same political party, and the previous governor directed us to support the current Governor Abdulswamad Nessir,” she said.

“These (officers) are our people, today we are telling them to apply online after serving the county for more than 10 years.”

Mandate

In her defense, Rukiya said that the recruitment process is a mandate of the County Public Service Board.

Mombasa County Assembly Chief Whip Priscillah Mumba during the session. (Photo: Farhiya Hussein)

“We have recommended for people to be recruited by CPSB, they are in a better place to see how the recruitment process will be done and the methodology that they will use,” she said.

She added, “I believe in fairness and openness their contracts have expired and the right and lawful thing is for us to advertise for the positions. People are free to apply, including those who were in the system.”

The MCAs vowed to stop the recruitment process in their wards because the 105 officers have the right to be taken back to work.

“We will not accept that. If this is going to cost me my work, I’m ready to go home, but I will ensure that my people go back to work,” said the Chief Whip.

In January 2024, the committee members had a meeting with Governor Abdulswamad and the Mombasa Deputy Governor Francis Thoya who promised to do a staff appraisal and submit a report before the committee within two weeks, but that has not been affected.

Rukiya apologised for not availing the report to the committee, saying that the report is ready but with the County Secretary.

She said that her department recommended that the recruitment of the officers be done at the ward level to ensure that there is fairness and inclusivity for everybody.