Serious HR issues in devolution transition

The Council of Governors (CoG) will hold the 8th Devolution Conference in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, “ on the back of serious human resource issues during the transition to devolution.

The theme is “10 years of devolution: The present and the future”, the sub-theme “Driving transformation from the local level with county governments as the centre of economic development”.

But there are challenges that, in the next decade, will need thorough examination, discussion and review of legislation. One is the management of the transition, especially in regard to HR.

Every time there’s a change of guard, the new governor accuses their predecessor of over-employment and non-procedural staff recruitment, paving the way for statements such as “old and new staff”, “the other regime’s versus this one’s people” and “improper recruitment by the other regime”. Hence, staff audits in the counties such as Kisii, Machakos, Kilifi, Uasin Gishu and Nairobi.

Are the allegations true or not?

Truth be told, governors, as holders of executive power in the counties, need to make more appointments in addition to the 10 CECMs, about 20 chief officers and a couple of advisers.

The directors of various departments and units are the ‘line managers’. They help in policy development, implementation and managing fellow staff. It is critical that a new governor gets a chance, legally, to determine who these people are lest we end up with unnecessary wrangles, witch-hunts and audits.

Similarly, sub-county, ward and village administrators help in coordinating county government activities at the grassroots as well as help to get accurate information/feedback on the issues affecting the people, in a bid to improve service delivery.

It cannot thus be that such critical roles are recruited on a permanent and pensionable basis, an arrangement that renders incoming governors helpless. It’s about time we got thoughtful and realistic on the matter.

Right from the campaigns to the point of taking the oath of office, every new governor needs a team that he considers—in his own view, as trustworthy, loyal, supportive and have a clear grasp and understanding of his/her vision, hence best suited to help in implementing the same.

In the meantime, civic education is needed for voters to understand counties’ recruitment.

Gil Nasiali, Uasin Gishu