‘It’s a crazy idea!’ Governor Orengo slams CS Kuria over proposal on public servants’ terms of employment

Speaking in Ramula, East Gem during a church event, Governor Orengo termed the idea fronted by Public Service CS Moses Kuria as a shame and a very crazy idea that they will strongly oppose it as Council of Governors.

He explained that they will never be concerned with CS Moses Kuria's proposals which he described as ‘fanatical ideas’ stating that the move will deny workers their basic right to job security.

“Moses Kuria is coming up with fanciful ideas that are not acceptable in a nation where we believe in good order and continuity. He has come up with a crazy idea that all public servants will be employed on a contract basis,” Orengo said.

“That is a matter which is very shameful for him to say…we cannot be a nation where everybody is working on contract…public workers should have a security of tenure.”

At the same time, Governor Orengo has stated his position regarding the ongoing doctors’ strike insisting that the government must comply with the agreement between the doctors’ union and the salary of the intern doctors must be met.

“The conditions which the doctors have raised are something which has already been negotiated and if the national government is caring about our people, they should sit down and talk with the doctors,” Orengo said.

“The interns are not bringing the idea of Ksh.206,000 from the air, there was a negotiated settlement two to three years ago where the government committed itself to pay interns Ksh.206,000.”

Orengo also used the opportunity to assure the residents of Siaya of continued doctors' services as the county has not been affected by the strike saying 90 percent of the doctors are employed by the county government of Siaya, not the Ministry of Health.

In Siaya, although we have had little disruptions, 99 per cent of doctors who are employed in the county assembly continue to render their services,” he said.

CS Kuria has faced criticism following his remarks early this week that he will present a proposal to convert all public servants from permanent to contractual terms.

The CS spoke on Tuesday in Nairobi during a press conference on the ongoing nationwide doctors’ strike and noted that a review of the wage bill found that sustaining employees permanently was unpalatable.

Kuria argued that only one million public servants consume half of the country’s tax revenues, and then the other half is left to be distributed among all the remaining Kenyans.

“If the doctors think we're against them, this week on Friday I will move to Cabinet to present a proposal that if Cabinet approves, all government workers from drivers to cleaners...everybody will be converted to contract,” said the CS.

“There will be no permanent employee anymore; if you want to be permanent, show me that even on earth, your tenure is permanent. We are all on contract even on this earth. We are going to convert them from permanent and pensionable to contract and still pensionable.”