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Former presidential aspirant Jimi Wanjigi now says politicians who lost in the August general election should keep off the civil service.

Speaking at a church service in Suna West, Migori County, on Sunday, October 9, the Safina party leader said the Public Service Commission should not consider the poll losers in the ongoing recruitment of Principal Secretaries (PSs).

“We have a lot of political failures who want to join the civil service but they should keep off, there is enough time and personnel in Kenya to get those posts. Some of these people have lost their election bids and now they want to be PSs,” Wanjigi said at the event organised by the Legio Maria church.

He asked President William Ruto not to be held hostage by the politicians, some of who campaigned for him in the August polls.

“We want to ask you, do not be held hostage by those around you in the governance of 51 million Kenyans,” he added.

“There is now a shortlist of permanent secretaries that has been put out with almost 500 names, that is okay, but from the 500 who were shortlisted out of 9,000 applicants, we have noticed, and it is not you Mr. President, but some of your people, their relatives are there in large numbers.”

Politicians, technocrats, scholars, and former principal secretaries are among 9,000 Kenyans who applied for the 49 slots advertised by PSC last month.

The Commission on Saturday amended a list of shortlisted candidates from 477 to 585, citing the need to deepen regional and gender inclusivity.

“The Commission has reviewed the number of shortlisted candidates in order to deepen inclusivity with regard to gender, the marginalized and minority groups, the youth and persons living with disability in accordance with Article 232 1 (h) of the Constitution,” the commission said.

The names of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner Boya Molu and former nominated MP David Sankok were among those added to the new list.

Cleophas Malala’s running mate in the Kakamega gubernatorial race Beatrice Inyangala and former Mombasa gubernatorial deputy governor aspirant Ali Mbogo were also included in the new list.

The initial list featured former Narok Governor Isaac Tunui, former Lang’ata MP Nixon Korir and former Kitui gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Mueke.

Others were former nominated MP Isaac Mwaura and former Kisii senatorial candidate Joash Maangi.

At least 15 PSs and Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs) who served in the previous administration of President Uhuru Kenyatta were also shortlisted.

The PSs are Belio Kipsang (Regional and Northern Corridor Development), Susan Mochache (Health), Esther Koimett (Broadcasting and Communication), Nelson Marwa (Devolution), Saitoti Torome (Planning), Fatuma Chege (CBC), Jerome Ochieng (ICT), Fatuma Hirsi (Tourism), Kirimi Kaberia (Industrialization), Simon Nabukwesi (University Education and Research), Fatuma Hirsi (Broadcasting), Julius Ouma Jwan (Early Learning), Safina Kwekwe (Gender affairs), Simon Nabukwesi (University Education and Research) and Charles Hinga (Housing).

The CASs on the list were Mercy Mwangangi (Health), Sarah Ruto (Education) and Winnie Guchu (State Law Office).

Charles Ringera, the CEO Higher Educations Loans Board (HELB) and Mary Chebukati Wanyonyi, the wife of IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, also made it to the list.

Wanjigi was barred from running for the presidency due to a lack of a degree certificate.