Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has suffered yet another blow following the decision by the government to send some staff members at his office on compulsory leave.
The Kenya Times has learnt of a looming shakeup in the Office of the DP which could see senior officers in the office replaced.
According to a memo dated October 19, 108 senior officers and advisors have been affected by the immediate orders which require them to comply by 12. noon on Saturday.
Among those affected by the orders communicated by Principal Administrative Secretary Patrick Mwangi and copied to Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, are all officers in Job Groups T and U and all serving officers in Supernumerary Contracts.
“Following the ongoing Constitutional process affecting His Excellency the Deputy President, it has been decided as follows; All officers in Job Groups T and U are hereby instructed to proceed on compulsory leave with immediate effect,” the memo reads in part.
“All serving officers in Supernumerary Contracts shall also proceed on compulsory leave with immediate effect.”
Among the senior officers and advisors who have been affected include:
Chief of Staff Elizabeth Wakogi
Deputy Chief of Staff Eric Gichuhi Wachira
Special advisor Njeri Rugene
Other officers include:
Chief of Staff OSDP Nancy Wambui
George Theuri (advisor)
Margaret Winnie (advisor)
Muthoni Namusonge (advisor)
Former Nyeri Town Member of Parliament Martin Ngunjiri Wambugu (advisor)
Richard Nzioki Muteti (advisor)
All Heads of Departments have since been directed to ensure conformity to these directives by the set time.
Staffers at Office of the DP sent packing
All Heads of Departments were also directed to ensure they designate, in writing, a responsible officer to be in charge of their respective departments with a copy to the Chief of staff and the Principal Administrative Secretary.
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Earlier, a senior staffer in Gachagua’s office who is privy to the looming shakeup had confirmed to The Kenya Times that officials at the office including senior staff have been sent on compulsory leave.
The staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the memo communicating the decision to send them on leave was circulating as part in the morning.
Senior Advisor in President William Ruto‘s Council of Economic Advisors Moses Kuria had also revealed that majority of the staff working in the second in command’s office have been sent packing.
Kuria in a statement on Friday said that about 80% of the staff working in the Office of the DP were from Gachagua’s backyard, Mathira Constituency.
“80% of the staff working in the Office of the Deputy President were from Mathira Constituency. Tonight, they have all been sent on compulsory leave,” said Kuria.
Gachagua and CSs flagged
Back in February, a report had revealed that Gachagua and the then 22 Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) hired 250 personal staff in the financial year ended June 2023, adding to the many jobs that had been dished out by public officers on a non-competitive basis.
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The report by the Public Service Commission (PSC) said that the 250 were hired as either personal staff or advisors as Gachagua and the CSs settled in office after the 2022 General Elections.
PSC said that non-competitive recruitment meant that the 250 recruits were handpicked as opposed to a fair appointment process where vacancies are publicly advertised and qualified individuals invited to apply for selection on merit.
“Part of the reasons given for the non-competitive appointments included the appointment of personal staff of the Deputy President and advisors to Cabinet Secretaries, which are normally not competitive, hence should not be part of the inclusion in non-competitive appointments,” said the PSC.
This came in the period the Commission also said 47 state entities had recruited a total of 1,443 employees on a non-competitive basis.
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