“It’s A Crazy Idea!” Governor Orengo Condemns CS Kuria’s Public Servants’ Contract Plan

“It’s A Crazy Idea!” Governor Orengo Condemns CS Kuria’s Public Servants’ Contract Plan

Siaya Governor James Orengo has recently rejected the Ministry of Public Service’s suggestion to shift all public service workers from permanent and pensionable positions to contract-based employment.

During a church event in Ramula, East Gem, Governor Orengo criticized Public Service CS Moses Kuria’s proposal as disgraceful and absurd. He expressed that the Council of Governors would firmly reject the idea.

He clarified that they will never take CS Moses Kuria’s suggestions seriously, labeling them as ‘extreme views.’ He also stated that these suggestions would deprive workers of their fundamental right to job security.

“Moses Kuria is coming up with fanciful ideas that are not acceptable in a nation where we believe in good order and continuity. He has come up with a crazy idea that all public servants will be employed on a contract basis,” Orengo said.

“That is a matter which is very shameful for him to say…we cannot be a nation where everybody is working on contract…public workers should have a security of tenure.”

Simultaneously, Governor Orengo has expressed his stance on the current doctors’ strike, emphasizing that the government needs to honor the agreement with the doctors’ union and fulfill the salary requirements for intern doctors.

“The conditions which the doctors have raised are something which has already been negotiated and if the national government is caring about our people, they should sit down and talk with the doctors,” Orengo said.

“The interns are not bringing the idea of Ksh.206,000 from the air, there was a negotiated settlement two to three years ago where the government committed itself to pay interns Ksh.206,000.”

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Orengo took the chance to reassure Siaya residents that they will continue to receive medical services since the county hasn’t been impacted by the strike. He mentioned that 90% of the doctors are employed by the Siaya county government, not the Ministry of Health.

“In Siaya, although we have had little disruptions, 99 percent of doctors who are employed in the county assembly continue to render their services,” he said.

CS Kuria has received backlash after suggesting earlier this week that he plans to change the employment status of all public servants from permanent positions to contract terms.

On Tuesday, during a press conference in Nairobi about the ongoing nationwide doctors’ strike, the Cabinet Secretary stated that upon reviewing the wage bill, it was deemed unsustainable to keep employees permanently.

Kuria claimed that one million public servants use up half of the country’s tax income, leaving the other half to be shared among the rest of the Kenyan population.

“If the doctors think we’re against them, this week on Friday I will move to Cabinet to present a proposal that if Cabinet approves, all government workers from drivers to cleaners…everybody will be converted to contract,” said the CS.

“There will be no permanent employee anymore; if you want to be permanent, show me that even on earth, your tenure is permanent. We are all on contract even on this earth. We are going to convert them from permanent and pensionable to contract and still pensionable.”

“It’s A Crazy Idea!” Governor Orengo Condemns CS Kuria’s Public Servants’ Contract Plan