NAIROBI, Kenya, April 6 – The exercise to redeploy more than 6,000 City Hall workers whose functions were transferred to the national government kicked off at Uhuru Park on Monday, amid strict social distancing regulations.
There was heavy police presence at the venue provided by a contingent of the General Service Unit personnel and National Youth Service.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director General Mohamed Badi who was overseeing the exercise said the newly established authority will dispatch deployment letters to 3,000 employees by April 10, 2020.
Badi explained that staff in the public health department who are in the front-line coronavirus treatment centres will not have to present themselves to Uhuru Park as they will be issued their letters at their respective work stations.
“We have kicked off the exercise and by Friday we will have issued 3000 workers with their letters, health workers will continue with their duties and my staff will issue them with letters from their places of work,” he said.
The employees who turned up for the exercise had also adhered to strict public health guidelines including a social distance and wearing of face masks by standing at designated marked spots.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko over the weekend protested the move by the national government agency citing that it was hijacking functions that were not transferred to the national government in a deal signed last month.
The Governor also released a statement purporting to call off the meeting called by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), saying it violates a ban on public gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Badi however said he is not committing an illegality since he was handed over the functions.
Badi said he officially took over the functions on March 18, 2020 and therefore it’s within his mandate to redeploy staff.
“Governor Sonko signed the agreement in Statehouse, the County Assembly during a special also passed the deeds of transfer and it’s not just staff but also their assets including vehicles and their offices,” Badin stated.
Sonko accused unnamed individuals in the national government whom, he said, are out to selfishly gain following the new arrangement that saw him surrender some of his functions, insisting that the Nairobi Metropolitan Services has no jurisdiction over the employees of the county.
“As it stands, the responsibility still remains with the Nairobi County Public Service Board to notify its employees of the purported secondment. The Public Service Commission, on the other hand, should operate within its mandate, and can only second national government officers to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services,”Governor Sonko said on Sunday.
The functions Sonko handed over to the national government include: County Health Services, County Transport Services, County Planning and Development Services, and County Public Works, Utilities and Ancillary Services.
About The Author
