Accountant who won’t take the wrong plum job

The job comes with a modest salary, allowances and a host of other privileges to boot. From a basic monthly salary of about Sh260,000 to mortgage facilities, the position of a county executive is an enviable one for many, especially in a country where unemployment remains a big concern.

Picking individuals to the position of county executive remains a major headache for most governors because of intense lobbying by various players who want to be considered for the revered positions.

But to Alphonce Werah, 39, there is more to a job than just perks and so he declined an offer by the Homa Bay County administration for the position of Energy executive.

“I declined the position because I never applied for it. I applied for the position of Trade and Industrialisation because I felt I could deliver in an area I have expertise and qualification,” he says without regret.

The father-of-two did not show up for a scheduled event at the county headquarters in Homa Bay town last Wednesday during which nine other nominees were sworn into office.

“I requested the county leadership to allow me to decline the appointment, I have a lot of respect to and thank Homa Bay County leadership for believing in my ability to serve the great county,” says Mr Werah.

News of the decision took many by surprise, sparking off a heated debate on social media platforms.

While some users lauded him as principled and of high morals, others chided him for wasting a golden job opportunity. To some, the incident pointed to the governance challenges facing counties where some jobs were allocated to persons without corresponding qualifications leading to poor management and implementation of programmes.

The finance and administration manager at a Nairobi-based international NGO is, however, unmoved by the criticism and says he would make a similar decision again under such circumstances.

Mr Werah styles himself as a stickler for probity and accountability in public governance and would not be swayed by material gain.

“I try to live by this conviction which I hold so dearly even when alone in that wilderness. Others may relate it to being rigid. However, this is what sets us apart, choosing to be different in ways one believes is aligned with their purpose,” he explains.

A biography on the website of his present employer describes him as a crusader for good governance, partly stating that: “Alphonce is keen to ensure strong institutional systems with commensurate capacity to support activities.”

Mr Werah believes that having the wrong people on public service jobs has stifled growth, especially in counties and calls for professionalism in the selection and appointment of individuals to run the show.

“I believe that to be effective and achieve high performance, I need to think and do what I believe is right and will create trust, respect, authenticity and a sense of responsibility for accountability,” he says.

Mr Werah holds an MBA in finance and a Bachelor of Commerce degree in accounting, both from the University of Nairobi. He is a certified public accountant and an active member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.

For now, he remains on his old job but says he remains committed to serving the people of Homa Bay despite declining the post offered to him.

““In my opinion, service to our people is an honour and privilege which I continue doing even outside government and I must not occupy a formal position at the county to do that.

“Everybody has an opportunity to make their contributions both from within and outside government, these opportunities are endless and nobody should not wait to be in government to make out contribution to the society,” he says.

“Working in counties is a great honour that every Kenyan should look up to. This is a privilege to make one’s contribution to the development of our country, which comes as a responsibility of each and every Kenyan.”

Mr Werah would not discuss his personal life but points out that he is staunch Christian who likes to “remain himself” and not go by peer pressure.

“I would not want to be like any one specific person. I want to be better than all the role models I can sample. “So, I admire different things from different people, picking and emulating certain specific character traits that I admire in them,” he says.

With his preferred docket already filled, the Homa Bay administration has to return to the drawing board to pick another candidate to replace Mr Werah.