Merit, equity should underline public jobs

The Employment Court has a made a bold statement by annulling the appointment of former Othaya MP Mary Wambui as chairperson of the State agency responsible for recruitment. This was a major blunder, an affront to the principle of meritocracy and good governance.

Last October, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Ms Wambui chairperson of National Employment Authority, which sparked public uproar, with concerns that she is not qualified for the job. Second, given her age, she was not suitably placed to understand and empathise with the challenges of the unemployed youth, whom she was supposed to serve. At any rate, having served as an MP and being 69, it was unfair to give her a job and leave out young, deserving people.

The court's ruling has several implications. First, President Kenyatta, as the appointing authority, needs to be judicious in nominating individuals to public sector jobs. There is a need not just for due diligence but introspection to determine the capability, demographics and psychographics of the candidates. We must end the practice of giving jobs to loyalists, political supporters and friends, as well as homeboys and homegirls.

Ms Wambui's is not an isolated case. There are several appointments that ought to be revisited. Old, incompetent and lacklustre people hold key government positions while young and competent individuals are languishing in unemployment. An audit of the public sector is necessary to weed out deadwood and joyridders occupying crucial roles in government where they do not add value.

The government must institutionalise meritocracy as a principle in public service appointments. And this goes with equity and fairness. The national values articulated in Article 10 of the Constitution, include good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability. Implicit in this is the principle of fair play and merit. 

In public appointments, it is incumbent on the leadership to select individuals with the capabilities required of the offices they are appointed to. Underpinning this is the desire to promote efficiency in public service to give value to the taxpayers. Vacancies in public sector should be advertised and filled competitively and equitably.

The lesson is that the government must rethink the criteria for making public appointments, and the public ought to be alert and challenge the authorities when mistakes are made like in this case. 

It is only through competitive, merit-based and equitable process of recruitment that the country can create an efficient and desirable public sector.​