The Public Service Commission has refuted reports that it has appointed former Citizen TV journalist Jacque Maribe as the Head of Communication in the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management.
In a statement on Thursday, the Commission stated that contrary to social media posts attributed to Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, the PSC has not made such an appointment.
PSC chairperson Amb. Anthony Muchiri clarified that no such appointment has been made, neither has a request to employ her been received by the board.
“For the record, the said position will be filled through a competitive recruitment process should a vacancy arise,” he said.
This is contrary to CS Kuria’s position who was quoted to have said that “it is true except that I am not the one who appointed her but the Public Service Commission”.
The statement came days after reports stating that Maribe landed the job shortly after she was acquitted in the Monica Kimani murder case.
Beyond the online reports circulating on social media, Jacque Maribe had also acknowledged the news about her appointment and even welcomed congratulatory messages.
Also Read: Fresh Woes for Jacque Maribe as DPP Moves to Appeal Her Acquittal
When Jacque Maribe acknowledged appointment reports
She also on several occasions in the past one week posted updates about activities in the Public Service Ministry, an indication of her involvement of the Ministry’s affairs.
On Wednesday, March 13, for example, Maribe shared a poster announcing Moses Kuria’s upcoming engagement in Nakuru County where he was set to launch Naitional Youth Service vocational training centers on Thursday alongside Governor Susan Kihika.
While some Kenyans congratulated Maribe for bouncing back after her exit from Citizen TV, a section of Kenyans questioned the procedure followed in choosing her as the ideal candidate for the job and demanded an explanation on whether the post was advertised.
Her high-flying career as a journalist was cut short after she was roped in the murder case of business lady Monica Kimani where she was named as a suspect alongside Jowie Irungu.
Also Read: Jacque Maribe Lands Govt Job
To her reprieve, however, the Court acquitted her from the charges facing her after findings that she was not directly linked the murder.
Coming amid a mass exodus of journalists from newsrooms to government jobs, Jacque was set to join a long list of her former colleagues who have since found new jobs in various government departments.
Celebrated reporter Chemutai Goin and investigative reporter Hassan Mugambi were among those who recently left Citizen TV to join the Office of the National Assembly Speaker and Ministry of Defense respectively.
