NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 25- The Government has vowed to protect Chiefs and other Grassroot officers from political harassment ahead of the 2022 general election.
Speaking in Makueni County, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi said there were numerous attempts by politicians and their allies to instigate transfer or sackings of government officials with no valid reasons.
“We are aware of many demands and threats by politicians for the sackings and transfers of government officers. The day we allow politicians to manage our personnel, we will have lost our focus. We will protect you for as long as your only crime is prosecuting the Government agenda,” Matiangi said.
Matiangi assured deputy county commissioners, assistant county commissioners, chiefs and their assistants and other administrators that their jobs were safe as long as they were professional in their duties and were executing the government agenda.
He however, cautioned them against engaging in partisan politics saying they were duty-bound to support the Government of the day by actively popularizing its policies.
Matiangi maintained that the ministry was keen to groom and promote officers across the National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) structure on merit.
“There is absolutely no reason why a hard-working chief should not rise to become a county commissioner or an even more senior rank. We have a deliberate programme to encourage chiefs to upgrade their certificates and to aspire to higher levels of leadership,” he said.
The CS pointed out that more vehicles will be made available to grassroots administrators through the vehicle leasing program to ease their movements.
The CS later proceeded to Kajiado County where he presided over the installation of Principal Chief Wilson Mpapayo of Ntashat Location, who was promoted to Senior Principal Chief.
The CS who was accompanied by his Environment counterpart Keriako Tobiko and Governor Joseph ole Lenku described Mpapayo as a role model in public service and community leadership.
The leaders said the chief has been instrumental in fostering peace between communities living along the borders of Kiambu and Kajiado counties and especially in the eradication of cattle theft between the members of Kikuyu and Maasai communities.
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