Communications Director in the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary, Salim Swaleh on Wednesday, March 8, revealed the intrigues behind his exit from Nation Media Group and why he switched from the Nakuru County role to the National government position.
Speaking exclusively to Kenyans.co.ke, Swaleh noted that owing to his 15-year career in the media, he had developed a working relationship with Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika from the time she was the county Assembly speaker.
He added that the governor approached him with an offer to take up the role of Communications Director at the Office of the Governor.
"It was a bit difficult since I was in a senior position at NTV (NTV Swahili managing editor cum news anchor). At some point, I shared my payslip with her and the discrepancy was huge," he stated.
"After two days, she came back with a counteroffer; the chief officer which equates to the role of a Principal Secretary at the National Level. Basically, you're the administrator of operations with the governor's office," he added.
According to Swaleh, the payment for the Nakuru County role still did not match what he earned at twin towers but the governor insisted that he considers other benefits such as permanent and pensionable terms, allowances and travel perks among others.
"Since I was born and bred in Nakuru County, the opportunity was alluring. I attended the interviews and gained confidence in being shortlisted," he noted.
The former news anchor noted that at the time, he received an offer call from Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi.
"I consulted my friends, family and seniors at Nation with who I had built a rapport. We all came to the conclusion that the National level offer would work."
Caught in a predicament, Swaleh noted that the Nakuru county job list was challenged in court which further delayed the process for a month.
"As a matter of fact, when the list of the chief officers at Nakuru was made public, someone challenged it in court. In fact, were it not for the cases I would be in Nakuru right now as I had accepted the offer at the time after attending the interviews and what was remaining was the vetting and swearing-in process.
"During that delay of the litigation process which took almost one month, is when the other offer came in.
"Subsequently, when the notice came that vetting was to be done in three days, I had already accepted Mudavadi's offer," he pointed out.
Kihika's reaction
Swaleh revealed that breaking the news to Kihika was quite difficult owing to the confidence she had in him.
"At the time, she was out of the country, so we talked on the phone and we agreed after a while. She expressed that she was disheartened about the matter.
"I understand that this (offer) mirrors a presidential appointment so I wish you well," Swaleh quoted Kihika's words.
He recalled when he met with Kihika during the recently held National prayers in Nakuru, whereby they laughed about the matter.
In terms of salary
The former news anchor noted that he accepted Mudavadi's offer owing to the influence that the position holds.
"You see and public and private sectors are like heaven and earth in terms of remuneration. But for Mudavadi's office, it's not far from what I earned, slightly lower but it also offers perks and extensions. One highlight of the role is that it has more influence on a national level," he added.
Since taking office, Swaleh described the workspace as unpredictable due to his boss' itinerary.
"It's quite a rollercoaster in that for 15 years, I have been in the fourth estate and my work entailed criticising the government or being the government's watchdog but now I speak on behalf of the government.
"So it's a very unpredictable workspace. In politics, nothing is cast in stone so we might have drafted an itinerary for him but things change," he noted.
