Orengo criticizes CS Kuria’s proposal to end permanent jobs in the public service

Siaya Governor James Orengo has described Public Services Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria’s proposal to end permanent public service jobs as a ridiculous idea that cannot be sustained in any democratic country.

Orengo expressed astonishment at how a cabinet secretary could conceive such an idea, warning that the government should be wary of such individuals.

While addressing Gem residents in Rambula on Friday, the governor emphatically dismissed the idea, noting that no labor agreement can be revoked based on the wishes of an individual.

“Such an idea has never worked anywhere in the world and will not work in Kenya, even if it is spearheaded by the cabinet secretary,” Orengo said.

Orengo questioned how the idea would be implemented in some of the government’s sensitive departments, such as the military.

“Imagine a soldier in a bandit-prone area or in Haiti fighting for the country, and in the middle of the war, he is informed that his contract has expired. What will happen is anyone’s guess,” Orengo said.

He added that such an idea will not be allowed to ruin the motivation factors of permanent and pensionable term workers to please some individuals.

The county boss stated that all workers in the country, whether county governments or at the national level, must have job security that allows them to comfortably repay their loans.

He revealed that even those who are elected have security of tenure, noting that judges are even allowed to remain in office until the age of 72, which is also a form of security of tenure.

Orengo, who is also a senior lawyer, said any organization that has a contractual agreement does not change from permanent to contractual because the government wants to be advised against it.

Civil Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria on Tuesday revealed plans to end all permanent and pensionable jobs in the civil service, proposing that all civil servants, in all job groups, be given contractual terms.

Kuria noted that all senior government officials, including the president and cabinet secretaries, are under contract. Therefore, all public officials, including doctors, would be subject to the same conditions as state officials.

He said the proposal is underway and will be presented to Cabinet on Friday for review.

“All government workers will become contract workers. We are going to convert them from permanent and pensionable to contracts but still pensionable. We are going to have a contract because we have to focus on productivity,” Kuria said.

The CS regretted that one million civil servants consumed almost half of the country’s tax revenue, contributing to the country’s public wage bill.

He stressed the need for austerity measures to reduce the wage bill and ease the burden on taxpayers.

Kuria mentioned that last week they were at the Conference on the wage bill and pointed out that one million workers consume 50 percent of tax revenues.

“That is why if the doctors think we are against them, on Friday this week I will move to the Cabinet to present a proposal that, if the Cabinet approves it, all government workers, from the drivers to the cleaners and everyone will become contractors. No one will have permanent terms,” Kuria said.