UNPROCEDURAL

A report tabled in parliament by joint committees of health, delegated legislation and the committee on equal opportunities has faulted the appointment of the director of Kenya Medical Training College saying it was unprocedural and failed to follow the laid down procedures.

The report also faulted the minister for medical services Prof Anyang' Nyong'o for disregarding the advice of KMTC's Board of management.

The report says the appointment was contrary to the spirit of the national cohesion and reconciliation act as it failed to accord equal opportunities to all persons who applied for the job.

The report says the institution lost over 1.8million shillings on the recruitment exercise and a further 1.2 million as consultancy fees.

The minister is also faulted for failing to demonstrate that the KMTC board of management and consultancy firm Hawkins Associates LTD were corrupt, inefficient and incompetent to warrant his unilateral appointment of the director.

The joint committees have recommended that parliament expresses its displeasure and reprimands the minister for misleading the house on the role of KMTC board of management, and the consultancy firm Hawkins Associates in the recruitment process saying the process of appointment of the director as followed by the minister was irregular.

The committees also want the house to direct the minister to follow the due process of the law and regularize the appointment of the director of KMTC within 60 days.

Last month the Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende directed the three committees to conduct a joint investigation into the appointment of KMTC director and report back to the House.

Prof Nyong'o had argued that his decision to appoint the KMTC director was based on consideration of the mismanagement history at the institution.

He further argued that the advertisement for the position was very specific in its requirements and locked out former staff at the institution.

He defended his appointee saying he was very qualified and competent to lead the medical training institution.

Under the State Corporations Act, a minister is required to appoint a parastatal chief from a list of three names identified under a competitive process by the board.