The Bomet county executive could be employing persons to various positions without the authority of the county public service board, it has emerged.

This became evident when the board members appeared before the assembly’s Adhoc committee on recruitment and promotions.

The committee, which is investigating how the staff are being employed and promoted, comes following complaints by some ward representatives, residents and even trade unions that the process was being done unfairly.

Embomos ward MCA Robert Serbai who had petitioned the house over the matter said there has been much public outcry over the matter hence the need for investigations.

A staff establishment report from the human resource department tabled by the county executive member for administration Patrick Maritim indicates that there are 395 staff more than what the board has.

While the board has in its records a total of 3, 925 staff, the executive has 4, 320.

The board’s chief executive officer Peter Bii who was put to explain about it said they are currently conducting an online audit of all staff and that the hitch might be as a result of some staff who lfailed to submit their documents.

While absolving the board from any wrongdoing and seemingly defending the executive, Bii said they have always conducted all their recruitments in a fair manner.

“All the staff that we have as per the records passed through the right procedure, the discrepancy with the numbers might be as a result of some staff who did submit their details electronically hence not captured in the system,” he said.

Maritim on his part said he was not aware of a different number of staff held by the board in its records but promised to harmonize it
with the board.

“I am not aware of it but I promise to go and check with the board,” Maritim.

The committee is set to make public its findings in the next two weeks.

The highest number of persons employed by the executive without the approval of the board was the enforcement officers where it emerged that there is an addition of 110 up from the initial 160.

The board had in 2018 advertised for 160 positions but currently, there are 270 employees working in various offices spread across the five sub-counties.

The executive also came under heavy criticism from the members who questioned the rationale behind the employment of 13 directors to the department of administration.

It was established that there are 13 directors contrary to the staff establishment that allows for one in each department.

Four advisors for agriculture, gender, e-governance and Agriculture are also said to have been hired without the approval of the board and salaries and remuneration commission.