BY SAM ALFAN.
A lobby group has moved to court seeking to block the Treasury from appointing 350 accountants.
Sheria Mtaani na Shadrack Wambui, wants the court to issue a conservatory order staying the implementation of the communication of the Public Service Commission to the Treasury dated September 23, 2021 recommending the appointment of the 350 accountants in the grade of Accountant II.
“This court be and is hereby pleased to issue an order temporarily restraining the 2nd Respondent from in any manner acting or implementing the 1st Respondent’s recommendations communicated vide a letter dated the 23rdSeptember 2021 pending hearing and determination of the petitions,” urges the lobby group.
The lobby group says unless stopped by the court, public service will continue to operate with its pre-2010 constitutional tradition of impunity which was often characterize by the employment of cronies, political sycophants, unqualified persons on the basis of nepotism, tribalism and other ills.
Through Lawyer Shadrack Wambui, the lobby group argues that PSC’s recommendation as contained in the letter to the Treasury was done without conducting interviews on the suitable persons.
He further says there was no publication of the shortlisted candidates suitable for consideration through a nationwide notice vide a newspaper, radio or any other popular mode of communication, as is required under law for the transparency and accountability of the process.
It further argues that the commission has unlawfully recommended 350 people for employment yet there were only 250 positions available.
“PSC has in an unlawful and unprecedented fashion changed the terms of employment of the 350 persons that have been recommended for employment to the Treasury from the three years contract period to permanent and pensionable in another opaque manner that can be seen to have been premeditated in order to trick the members of the public during the advertisement of the now contested positions for employment,” says the lobby group.
Wambui said the recruitment was skewed as it was conducted in an unaccountable manner that flouts and violates the national values and principles of governance and those of public service as provided under article 10 and 232 of the Constitution.
Sheria Mtaani argues that if the appointments are made, it is likely to cause the loss of an unknown but colossal amount of public money in the payment of salaries and allowances to persons whose process of employment fails the constitutional master of transparency and accountability.
The lobby group says the appointment of the recommended persons was to take effect from the date they assume duties but not later than the September 23, hence the need to expedite the determination of the case.
It also argues that unless challenged, it will make meaningless the constitutional requirements of accountability for administrative acts, transparency and fair competition and merit as the basis of appointments and promotions.
