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By Antynet Ford
The Justice and Legal Committee Nairobi City County Assembly has called on the Public Service Commission to pay the Ex-Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) enforcement officers who were called back to work by the Governor.
Appearing before the committee, the Public Service Board Chair Thomas Mweu stated that they were not involved in the requirement process as the NMS was under the National Government hence they were not responsible.
The enforcement officers signed a three-year Contract with the defunct NMS and have never been paid after the expiry of the contract.
The Justice and Legal Affairs Chair, Jared Akama stated that it cannot be the burden of the Country to pay the officers when they are not employed by the county.
“That cannot be our burden to pay them when they were employed by the Public Service Commission. We have no budget set for that hence even if they continue working for Nairobi, there is no money to pay them,” Akama stated.
The County Chief Officer in charge of Security and Compliance Tony Kimani retaliated that it is against the law that the officers were taken back and are still working when it’s very clear that they have no contract and he does not know when they will be paid.
According to Kimani, the officers are now at work because they received orders from above and hence cannot go against the orders.
Various Members of the County Assembly led by the Minority Whip, Anthony Kiragu stated they will not allow illegality where the officers are working for the county and never followed the proper channels of employment.
“They never followed the right channels of deployment. If indeed the governor wants them to work for the county, left until when there will be vacancies they are considered on priority. We will not allow illegality to take place at this particular time,” Kabiru MCA Clarence Munga stated.
Kiragu stated that the officers cannot be holding the positions at the moment just because they could be a threat and the message is clear that the contract ended long ago.
The minority leader called on Sakaja to stop “roadside”
“I can confirm the advert for the posts by NMS was for graduate officers and the Public Service Board did not follow the due procedure in employing the qualified personnel. The contract ended in November,” Kiragu stated
“We need to inform the Governor that the era of “roadside” declarations needs to come to an end. We cannot follow the due procedure required as laid professionally then come back and tell people to go back to work,” Kiragu added.
Kimani stated that the officers will only be paid if the Assembly set aside a budget to cater for that at the moment.
The 700 officers who strikes at the start of the month over claims of illegal layoff and pending salary payments got back to work after Sakaja gave an order for them to report back.
“I directed that all former NMS enforcement officers whose contracts with NMS had expired to report back to work immediately and be paid their pending dues. We will give them priority to apply for the permanent and pensionable jobs under the Nairobi County Government,” he said.