kenyaimagine.com

Rewards for ODM nomination losers

Written by Alex Mwashigadi

Monday, 12 November 2007

For those of us who have worked over two decades in the civil service, the announcement that all ODM nomination losers would be rewarded with civil service jobs is the most clear (and worrisome) signal as to where Raila Odinga intends to take this country. The Civil Service is the heart of the Nation; it is the engine that propels our existence as a country. Criteria for appointing civil servants in civilized governments is premised upon three cornerstones – merit, merit and merit. Assuming that all ODM nominations losers will qualify to be good civil servants is an attempt to destroy our morale and aspirations for promotion.

This ODM plan will reverse all the gains that the civil service has achieved culminating in the recent global award. Every Kenyan from whichever political dispensation accepts that the civil service is vastly improved. Promising people jobs just because they have lost political opportunities is dangerous political adventurism that does not take into consideration the welfare of those working in the civil service already. We do not want bosses who are political rejects; any positions should be filled by career civil servants whose calling is to serve each and every Government of the day. It is also quite condescending to us to imply that civil service jobs are given as a reward for failure elsewhere.

Our members are from across the political divide and we will not give opinions on Majimboism, Sharia Laws, the merits or otherwise of any M.O.U'S, or any other political issues at this point. We just want to be treated with the dignity we deserve and receive assurances that we shall not be brought 3,000 new bosses to work with who failed to clinch a nomination.

We call upon all Kenyans of goodwill to stand firm and ensure that the meritocracy and efficiency that they have been enjoying in the revamped civil service are not swallowed whole by the political whale.

Alex Mwashigadi
James Mageto
David Opiyo
Jane Karuga

Members of the unregistered Kenya Civil Servants Union,
Nairobi Branch.