DP Ruto: Public officers with many advisers a sign of incompetence

Deputy President William Ruto has slammed public officers for employing many advisers, saying it hinders the rationalisation of salaries within the public sector.

Speaking on Tuesday during the farewell ceremony of the Sarah Serem led Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Mr. Ruto said the presence of many advisers around a public officer was an indicator of competence deficit.

“If you find yourself requiring several advisers to do the job for which either you were appointed or elected, it is time to leave the job for something else. It simply means you don’t know what you are doing and you need to give it up,” he said.

The former Agriculture Minister added that he did not employ any adviser while he was in the Cabinet.

“I was a minister and I never had an adviser. Nowadays, Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, County Executive Commissioners have several advisers and even the advisers have an adviser to advise them. The whole thing becomes a mess,” he said.

The Deputy President also made a witty jest at Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok, by saying “I know Governor Nanok has put in a word that he should be considered for other national responsibilities. I quite agree, as long as it is not to advise us.”

Ruto stated that the Jubilee administration would seek to push through the Public Salaries, Remuneration and Benefits Bill at the National Assembly so as “to ensure that we progressively bring down the wage bill from 52% to 35% in every county.”