The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has proposed a Sh10 Million fine for governors who will not employ non-locals.
Dr Roba Sharamo, a commissioner, stated that consistent failure by counties to have ethnic balance has forced the commission to propose an amendment of the County Government Act to introduce hefty fines.
“Our proposal is that if a Governor violates the law and uses public funds to enrich a certain ethnic group, they face a penalty of up to Sh10 Million,” Sharamo stated.
Dr Sharamo maintained that governors will be held liable for ethnic inequality and imbalance in the county public service.
[caption caption="A section of governors"]
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The commissioners spoke at White Rhino Hotel in Nyeri County where they were attending the sixth annual conference on Independent Offices and Constitutional Commissions.
Dr Sharamo stated that since governors took the oath of office the commission had received numerous complaints about county bosses being biased in recruitment.
“We want to send a signal to the new crop of governors who might be inheriting some challenges. They must look back and audit their county service and check on ethnic balance,” he stated.
An ethnic audit report done by NCIC in 2016 on all 47 counties revealed that only 15 counties had complied with the law that stipulates that only 70 per cent of jobs can go to the dominant group in that county.
The County Government Act states that at least 30 per cent of jobs should go to members of ethnic groups not dominant in a county.
[caption caption="The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) "]
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Dr Sharamo told chairpersons of the county public service boards to resist pressure from governors, who he remarked normally push for their campaigners to be hired.
