President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, are set to lose their say on crucial personal appointments.
A proposal, that is waiting for approval, seeks to have the Public Service Commission appoint and determine the salaries of the president’s and his deputy’s personal advisers.
The top executives have had a free hand in picking their special advisers who draw salaries from taxpayers.
“The commission shall be responsible for the appointment of advisers to the president, deputy president and cabinet secretaries.
“The commission shall determine the number of advisers who shall be appointed for the president and deputy president as may be needed for carrying out the functions of the office,” partially read the new regulations.
The new rules further set tough conditions for the individuals who will be considered for the posts.
They will have to have skills and qualifications for the job, free from graft and unethical behaviour and will not direct or supervise other public servants.
If adopted, the new rules will create new employment opportunities as they dictate that the advisers must be picked from outside the civil service.
“Each adviser shall be appointed on contract for a period not exceeding three years and may be renewable only once for a period not exceeding three years,” the new regulations further read.
According to Business Daily, the two top executives had 20 special advisers by the end of 2014 working full time.
They included political, agriculture and food security, regional integration, legal affairs and education advisers.
At the moment, only Dr Korir Sing’oei is listed as the adviser to Ruto on legal matters among the top staff in the deputy president’s office.
According to the Presidency website, no list of advisers attached to President Kenyatta has been provided.
