PSs tired of being ministers' scapegoats

Wednesday, 20 April 2011 00:01 BY FRANCIS MUREITHI

HAWK-EYED: Roads minister Franklin Bett, his PS Kamau and other officials view maps of some road s in Western Kenya.

PSs are now accusing the KACC of targeting them during corruption investigations and prosecutions leaving out ministers. Roads PS Michael Kamau told the Public Accounts Committee that PSs were now demoralized, frustrated and were working in fear.“We no longer care. You feel like you do not want the job. We are a frustrated lot, yet we are performing to the best of our ability,” said the PS. He added that if the trend will continue, the government will lack qualified personnel willing to work as permanent secretaries. In the new constitution, the name PS has been changed to cabinet secretary.
Presently, PSs in court over corruption or abuse of office related charges include former Treasury PS Joseph Magari who is facing criminal charges over the Anglo-Leasing scandal.
Last June, PSs Sammy Kirui (Local Government) and Rebecca Nabutola (Tourism) were sacked after being implicated in corruption cases.
Nabutola was charged with fraud over a presidential trip to the Maasai Mara while Kirui has been charged over a piece of land bought by the City Council of Nairobi for a cemetery. President Kibaki at the same time reinstated four other PSs who had been suspended to pave way for investigations.
Those reinstated include former Education PS Karega Mutahi, who was posted to the Local Government Ministry. Karega had been suspended over free education cash scandal.
Also reinstated were Mohamed Isahakia who resumed his duties as PS in the Office of the Prime Minister and Romano Kiome returned to the Ministry of Agriculture.The two had been suspended over the maize scandal.
Also reinstated was PS Ali Dawood Mohamed previously PS, Ministry of Special Programmes and who after suspension was taken to the Environment Ministry. Last October, Thuita Mwangi stepped aside as the Foreign Affairs PS to allow investigations on the purchase of Kenyan embassy in Japan.“We are hauled to the courts a decade after we have left office,” the Roads PS told the committee adding that, “We will leave and pave way for those who are capable to take over, but with the current trend we will end up running short of these people.” The PS was briefing the committee on major projects the Roads Ministry is undertaking.
Committee members present included Daniel Muoki (Mwala), Chachu Nganya (North Horr).