BY MANUEL ODENY

Kisii governor Simba Arati got a political reprieve after Members of the Kisii County Assembly approved his two nominees for public service board.

Arati, who is feeling re-lection heat ahead of next polls will now have positions of the Chairperson and Secretary to the County Public Service Board filled to help him in human resource management and hiring of staff.

The position of the Public Service Board Chair fell vacant after the immediate former Chairperson, Elijah Obebo, was nominated and subsequently appointed to the position of Deputy Governor following the impeachment of the former DG Robert Monda.

The Assembly’s Select Committee on Appointments adopted the report on the vetting of Haron Onguso and Alfred Nyagwoka for the positions of Chairperson and Secretary, respectively.

Nyagwoka, hails from Magenche Ward in Bomachoge Borabu Constituency, had been serving the position in an acting capacity.

“I commend the House for expediting the approvals, we conducted the process in a transparent way and in the best interest of the people,” the Majority Leader Henry Moracha told the press after the exercise.

“We have told the Board to ensure that we do not hear complaints from any citizen that he or she is being asked to pay money so that they can be offered a job,” Moracha added.

Lilian Gor, a nominated MCA, expressed her satisfaction in the selection process, adding that the nominees have the necessary qualifications to serve in the Board.

“We considered several grounds including professional and academic qualifications, integrity threshold and knowledge on issues relating to the position they were being nominated for,” she said.

“I am particularly happy that one of the nominees is a youth and the other is a seasoned and experienced civil servant,” said Gor added.

On his part, the Assembly’s Leader of Minority, Dennis Ombachi, urged the newly appointed officers to be sincere and execute their work with openness.

Ombachi said that with the approvals, the Assembly will now expect the board to deliver quarterly reports on staff recruitment, training and discipline.

He lauded the Governor for nominating a youth to the position of the board’s secretary, saying the county has several vibrant young people who are qualified and deserve to work in the county.