Govt To Abolish Permanent Jobs For Civil Servants

All civil servants across all job groups risk being placed on contractual terms instead of being permanent employees if a new proposal fronted by the government comes to reality.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria, while speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, April 23, revealed that the proposal is in the works and is set to be presented for review by the Cabinet.

When it is approved, all government workers will cease being employed permanently and their tenures renewed through contracts.

CS Kuria complained that one million civil servants had consumed 50 per cent of Kenya’s tax revenue while the rest of the country relies on the remaining 50 per cent, worsening the situation regarding the public wage bill.

He thus hinted at a reduction of what he viewed as 'luxuries' as part of austerity measures to reduce pressure on the public wage bill and the burden on taxpayers.

"Last week, we were in the wage bill conference and pointed out that one million consuming 50 per cent of our tax revenue means there's something wrong.

"That is why if the doctors think we are against them, this week on Friday, I will be moving to Cabinet to present a proposal which if Cabinet approves, all government workers from drivers to cleaners to everyone will be converted to contract. No one will be on permanent terms," he revealed.

He added, "If you want to be permanent, show me that even your tenure on earth is permanent, we are all on a contract basis even on this earth."

At the same time, he directed that the union dues for the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) be suspended.

This is after the union failed to call off the doctors' strike which entered its 41st day today, despite having an agreement with the government.

Affirming his stance as a minister in charge of the government payroll, CS Kuria lamented that the union declined to respect court orders directing the strike to be suspended.

"I have instructed my payroll people not to remit the dues for this particular union because I will be abetting crime and disrespect for court orders, enough is enough,” CS Kuria stated.

"This circus is over. 14 per cent of the Cabinet and governors have been coming here for three days. The amount of humiliation that we have been taken through by the union is unimaginable."

He also lamented how the atmosphere had shifted from the doctors' strike to personal attacks on his Health counterpart, Susan Nakhumicha, questioning why Kenyans and the media have refused to hold doctors to account concerning obeying the cited court order.

"I have been around several CSs for Health and in those regimes there were industrial actions but matters were restricted to the issues at hand. But for my sister, there has been a lot of personalisation of matters. The women's association has not been speaking up about it," he added.

Nakhumicha moments ago threatened to move to court in case KMPDU did not call off the strike, revealing that her Ministry instructed its legal team to file a status report on what it had agreed with the doctors as a return-to-work formula.