Kericho county plans to hire 30 aides for MCAs, Twitter is unamused
Kericho County Assembly service board has advertised 30 vacancies for the position of personal assistants to the county’s MCAs.
Applicants must have a diploma in Business Administration, excellent computer skills and attained at least C- in the KCSE exam.
The job advertisement, shared widely online, has elicited varied reactions on Twitter with many worried about the county’s ballooning wage bill.
Some Twitter users expressed shock at the decision to hire an assistant for every MCA, while others described it as small symptom of the bigger rot in county governments.
Former chairman of the now defunct Transition Authority (TA) Kinuthia Wamwangi, however said the move is in line with best practices as it would avoid hand-picking of friends or relatives for county jobs.
“The advertisement shows that this is a structured employment process in which only competent people will be hired,” he said.
Most Twitter users however wondered if the newly elected ward representatives actually need personal assistants.
“’Briefing the MCA on the agenda before every meeting’ …… Ridiculous!” @aombajo fleshed out the advert.
@kimtaimartin termed the move as “pure wastage.”
“County governments have ghost workers on their payrolls, PAs for MCAs is a drop in the ocean,” noted @staceykerubo.
@robertrono tweeted, “Ridiculous to say the least.”
“Kericho County Assembly service board has advertised 30 PA jobs. They will help the MCAs handle phone calls, prepare itineraries & hold brief for them,” wrote @vinnieo.
@Tujadili tweeted, “and while you were focusing on presidential elections and the drama, the county dramas went on. Kericho County planned to hire 30 Personal Assistants for each MCA….???”