NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 15 – The Office of the Attorney General has recruited 24 entry-level State Counsel, in a bid to leverage the anticipated workload relating to implementation of the new Constitution.
Solicitor General Wanjuki Muchemi, in a welcoming address to the new staff, said that work in Government had become very competitive following the introduction of individual performance targets in an annual cycle.
The recruited staff have all opted out of private practice to join Government, signifying the increasing allure of Government as the employer of choice in Kenya.
Mr Muchemi announced that the Government had rewarded all the 882 employees of the State Law Office a bonus (\’13th month\’) salary after the Office of the Attorney General was ranked the leading performer among all Government Ministries during the 2008/2009 Performance cycle. . The money was credited into the staff accounts in July 2010.
The Solicitor General said the Government was implementing a succession management plan to ensure uninterrupted flow of work when some officers, especially at management level, leave service for any variety of reasons.
”In addition to providing relevant and continuous training to all cadres the Government has banded and narrowed salary gaps to ensure all employees are adequately motivated,” he added.
The succession plan, he said, would reduce cases of employees who “leave shoes which cannot be filled by successors.” He said it is expected of reputable managers to adequately delegate duties to their charges as part of molding capability.
Among the measures implemented by the Government is fast-tracking of promotions based on individual output rather than number of years served on a given grade.
The Solicitor General, who is the Accounting Officer for the State Law Office, reminded the staff that civil servants are bound to provide non-confidential information to the public as provided for under the Bill of Rights in the new Constitution.
He however clarified that access to information is not absolute given the nature of Government operations which renders some information \’classified\’.
Mr Muchemi said that the Constitution remains the supreme law of the country and in this regard any other subordinate legislation must be amended to conform with the spirit and letter of the new Constitution.
He assured Kenyans that the Office of the Attorney General would play its role and fast-track the legislation needed for the timely implementation of the new Constitution.
He said that functions of the Attorney General were being re-aligned as provided in Articles 156, 157, 158.
Present during the welcoming ceremony for the new Counsel were the Registrar General Bernice Gachegu, the Public Trustee Esther Sawe, Head of Civil Litigation Wanjiku Mbiyu, Chairman of Advocates Complaints Commission Joseph Kingarui, Deputy Head of Legislative Drafting Department Elizabeth Nganga, the Senior Deputy Secretary Onesmus Mutua, Ag. Director of Witness Protection Agency Mrs Ondieki, the Head of Human Resources G. Mukuria and Deputy Head of HR Ismael Yunis.
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