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Staff overpayment amid sexual harassment allegations unearthed in Machakos

 The Labour, Public Service and ICT Committee in Machakos County Assembly has tabled a damning report on allegations of corruption and abuse of office by some members of the board of the Machakos County Public Service Board.

Hon. Francis Kioko Kitheka, (Chairperson, Labour, Public Service and ICT Committee) tabling the report of the Labour, Public Service and ICT Committee, on Allegations of Corruption and Abuse of Office by Some Members of the Machakos County Public Service Board (CPSB). Photo/COURTESY

The report was tabled by committee chairperson Mr Francis Kioko Kitheka.

The committee centred on three allegations during its interrogations where they summoned the concerned parties to respond to allegations made against them. They were: corruption, abuse of office and sexual harassment allegations.

The committee observed that the sexual harassment allegations did not find merit.  "The Committee is not able to substantively recommend action against the accused person", wrote the committee on page 26 under Observations section.

However, the committee observed that there was likely that some employees of the Governor Dr Alfred Mutua-led government were employed without requisite qualifications.

 The Committee recommended that pursuant to Section 75 of the County Governments Act which tasks the Board to correct any irregularities in recruitments, the Board should immediately rationalize employment terms for all staff whose qualifications do not tally with their remuneration "and any loss of public resources through salary overpayment be recovered".

The Assembly found out that two officers were appointed to positions they do not qualify for the positions they served. The committee said they were Ms Hellen Mutheu Musau and Ms Caroline Nduku Nzioka.

Overpayment

Earlier during its investigations, the Labour, Public Service and ICT Committee had found out that Ms Hellen Mutheu Musau was appointed a Senior Human Resource Management Officer JG L earning a gross salary of KES. 61,910 in 2014. Yet she lacked a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, Sociology, Public/Business Administration and Human Resources and part 9 CPS or Diploma in Human Resources Management. She had not served for six years too as required.

However, Ms Musau was able to acquire the qualifications as at October 2017.  

The committee observed that she was overpaid KES. 3,603,600 for 84 months she had worked in the senior position saying that she only had qualifications to work in a junior post of JG F (KES 19,010).

The Committee concluded that Ms Musau started working at a job group way above her qualifications.

Another officer who was allegedly found to lack requisite qualifications despite her appointment and promotion was Ms Caroline Nduku Nzioka. Having been appointed on February 3 2014, as clerical officer JG J earning a salary of KES. 40,910, she was found to be instead have been appointed as a senior support staff JG D on temporary basis (KES. 16,680).

The job which she was working on required one to have had served for at least an experience of nine years and attained a KCSE grade of C- minimum. She had a KCSE grade of D Plain, the committee found.

Further, her overpayment totalled KES. 2,035,320 for the seven years she worked in her current role.

Ms Hellen Mutheu Musau had indicated that the CEO/Sec to the Board started sending her sexual advancement messages at around March 2019. She unsuccessfully tried to reach the Chair of the board as the Chair turned her down.

The CEO said that both Ms Hellen Mutheu Musau a d Ms Caroline Nduku Nzioka brought up sexual harassment allegations against the CEO. He termed them as "mere allegations without merit because their demands for promotion had been declined since they lack relevant qualifications"

STORY By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT

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