Author: James Munyeki
AfricaPress-Kenya: Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi has protested the decision by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to reinstate 27 medics. This was after the commission revoked an earlier decision by the county government to dismiss the medics.
A letter dated August 12, 2020 signed by PSC chairman Stephen Kirogo reinstated them to the positions they held prior to the decision by the county government to summarily dismiss them on June 21, 2019.
But Muriithi accused the commission of taking sides during the reconciliation exercise after it was directed by the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri to hear and resolve the matter.
“The expectation of the County Government of Laikipia was that the commission would hear and determine the case in an impartial and fair manner but this did not happen,” said Muriithi. He accused PSC of demanding a return-to-work formula without considering that the strike that resulted in the administrative action against the said doctors was illegal.
Key decision
“Since the commission had already made a decision without hearing the matter, the county government asked it to remove itself from proceeding,” added Muriithi.
He said the commission did not invite the county government to make presentations, hence breaching Regulation 78 (2) of the Public Service Regulations 2020, which requires the agency to ensure every party in such a process has an opportunity to be heard.
“The position of the county government is that the PSC has not conducted itself impartially by declining to give all parties an equal opportunity to be heard. It acted in total disregard of Article 50 of the Constitution and therefore the county government is going to appeal,” added the governor.
