Kobia defends appointment of older persons to State corporations
By Anthony Mwangi, October 29, 2019Public Service Cabinet secretary Margaret Kobia has defended the appointment of old individuals to head State agencies saying they bring in the much-needed experience to move the entities forward.
Kobia dismissed allegations that President Uhuru Kenyatta has been overlooking the youth while making government appointments, insisting that the Head of State was guided by the expertise and skills on offer as opposed to age.
“If you appoint a 25-year-old to chair a board, they will feel inadequate because they lack experience. This is not a full-time job, it pays so little. They only sit quarterly; it is not about the old versus the young. It is about the skills you bring to the table at the time,” she said during K24 TV’s Punchline on Sunday.
Gender bias
Prof Kobia said the attacks on former Othaya MP Mary Wambui following her appointment to the National Employment Authority board were unwarranted and motivated by gender bias.
“I did not take it very kindly that Mary Wambui was being dragged into that kind of a conversation that she was not qualified. One, I saw gender issues there. If it was a man, nobody would have talked,” she added.
She said her ministry was not offended by Wambui being picked, adding that the hullabaloo about old people is both misplaced and malicious.
“There are many men who have been given State jobs, older than Wambui, and nobody said anything,” she added.
Last week, the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered the suspension of Wambui’s appointment to NEA following a petition by the Kenya Young Parliamentarians, who contested her qualifications for the post.
Justice Hellen Wasilwa directed that Wambui should not assume office until the petition is heard and determined.