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8,000 staff moved in war against graft
Nearly 8,000 civil servants have been transferred in a new move to root out corruption. In a policy seeking to discourage the formation and entrenchment of corruption networks, public officers will not be allowed to work in the same station for more than three years. The transfers have taken place in the last two months. The new staff policy was started in March following a circular released by Public Service permanent secretary Titus Ndambuki.
According to a document by Mr Ndambuki, 5,076 clerical officers have been moved following the new directive. Also transferred were 1,850 secretarial staff, 105 accountants and 635 procurement officers. At the Immigration ministry, 60 officers and 139 secretaries have been redeployed. In a circular released in February, Mr Ndambuki said the government had in the past two years conducted "mass postings" of clerical officers and secretarial personnel. "The objective of the postings has, among others, been to facilitate skills transfers, exposure of affected staff to different working environments and to discourage entrenchment of networks associated with unethical practices," Mr Ndambuki said.
He said the ministry intended to embark on a more comprehensive redeployment through posting of those in common cadres who have worked in the same ministry for over three years. Mr Ndambuki had asked ministries and departments to submit names of clerical staff, secretarial personnel, drivers and support staff by March 20. His circular was sent to all permanent secretaries and authorised officers of various departments. It was copied to the Head of Public Service, Mr Francis Muthaura.
Giving an update of latest attempts at fighting corruption in the public service, Mr Ndambuki said corruption prevention committees had been activated in 19 ministries and departments. Some 78 State corporations had formed the teams. The committees were to be chaired by permanent secretaries and chief executives of State corporations. The permanent secretary said a programme to test the integrity of public servants had been rolled out in 20 institutions countrywide.
At the Kenya Pipeline Company, a system had been established through which the managing director could get access to online pipeline stock reports. He announced that the ministries of Agriculture, Education, Lands, Cooperatives and Marketing as well as the State Law Office were already implementing the new open plan work station office system. The system that would be implemented over the next two financial years will see most internal offices occupied by middle level staff of ministries and departments opened up to promote open space work environment.
At Kenya Revenue Authority, a committee has been formed to develop internal guidelines in the war against corruption.
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