Governor cancels interviews for CEO, directors of referral hospital
The entrance to Iten County Referral Hospital in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
What you need to know:
- Candidates were shortlisted on September 19 and were to be interviewed on September 27
- The governor said the shortlisted candidates did not meet requirements for regional balance, the gender threshold and minority inclusion
- CPSB had advertised the jobs of directors in peace, conflict resolution and disaster management; youth empowerment and enterprise development (Pepea programme); service delivery unit; resource mobilisation and partnerships development; and CEO
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich has cancelled the hiring of five directors and a CEO for Iten County Referral Hospital and ordered the process to start afresh, saying it didn’t meet required criteria.
The positions were advertised internally by the County Public Service Board (CPSB), but the governor said the shortlisted candidates did not meet requirements for regional balance, the gender threshold and minority inclusion.
Consequently, he cancelled the interviews and advised the CPSB to readvertise the positions externally so as to attract more suitable candidates.
The CPSB had advertised the jobs of directors in peace, conflict resolution and disaster management; youth empowerment and enterprise development (Pepea programme); service delivery unit; resource mobilisation and partnerships development; and CEO.
Candidates were shortlisted on September 19 and were to be interviewed on September 27.
But on Wednesday, the governor, in a statement, ordered the process cancelled and directed the CPSB to advertise the positions externally.
Mr Rotich said he wants to control the wage bill and ensure that only competent and qualified staff were hired. The money saved would be invested in other areas, he said.
“The interviews should be in a fair and transparent manner that reflects regional balance, meets the gender threshold and considers the minority groups,” he said.
“But from the shortlist, it clearly shows that either few candidates applied or a few were selected for shortlisting, eventually reducing the pool of professionals to choose from, which may not yield desired results that meet the expectation of our community.”
He added: “On this basis and in the spirit of fairness, transparency and accountability, I hereby direct the above process be cancelled forthwith and advertised externally so as to give more candidates an opportunity to express interest and eventually recruit the most qualified and sustainable candidate for the positions that can deliver.”
Mr Rotich said the positions were established so as to expedite the fulfilment of his manifesto.
