46% of staff in former DP Gachagua’s Office were from one ethnic group — report

In the 2023/24 Financial year, ending June, Nancy Gathungu intimated that a review of personnel records showed that the office had five hundred and forty-two employees and 249, or 46%, of them were from one ethnic community.

"This was contrary to Section 7(1) and 7(2) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act of 2008 which provides that all public installments shall seek to represent the diversity of the people of Kenya in the employment of staff and no public establishment shall have more than one-third of its staff from the same community," read the report in part.

AG Gathungu therefore found that the aforementioned employment status was a breach of law.

She added that the period under review also revealed that 42 members of staff received a net salary less than one-third of their basic salary in different months, breaching provisions of Sections 19 (3) of the Employment Act, 2007 which orders that all deductions made from an employees wage shall not exceed two-thirds of their pay.

The office also had Ksh.4.8 in pending bills as of June 30, 2024, and the bills were instead carried forward to the 2024/25 financial year.

Gathungu stated that failure to settle the bills adversely distorted budgetary provisions for the subsequent year.

She therefore noted there is a dire need for accountability and confidentiality in expenditures while also reviewing regulations to specify security-led expenditures.

She also advised that there needs to be internal oversight mechanisms to ensure there is responsible use of allocated funds.

After his impeachment in October, the government sent 108 officers working in Gachagua's office on compulsory leave from Saturday, October 18. 

In a letter signed by Principal Administrative Secretary Patrick Mwangi, all heads of departments were directed to ensure they designate a responsible officer to take over operations forthwith. 

The list has elicited mixed reactions as critics questioned the duplication of several roles at the DP's office including 10 Deputy directors of communications and 4 Assistant Directors of communications despite the call for austerity measures across the government.