Editorials

Follow law in State hiring

interview

Cabinet Secretaries and parastatal boards must ensure that the law is followed in making appointments to positions in State corporations.

In the recent past, we have seen appointments made by top State officials and boards challenged in court for not following the law.

On Monday, a judge revoked the appointments of Bernard Njiraini as chief executive officer of the Kenya Bureau of Standards and Bernard Ngore as chairman of the National Standards Council (NSC).

In a different court, a judge faulted Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe over the appointment of board members of the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa).

Energy CS Monica Juma was also recently on the spot for using a non-existent law to hire six directors of Rural Electrification and Energy Corporation (REREC).

State appointments should comply with the law to ensure they are fair and transparent. Following the law can also cut the time government counsel spend in court defending the recruitments and critical positions staying vacant for long.

It can also limit nepotism and cronyism which have been pervasive in some government institutions.