Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria on Tuesday revealed plans to end all permanent and pensionable jobs in the Public Service, proposing that all civil servants, across all job groups, be placed on contract terms.
CS Kuria noted that all senior government officials, including the President and Cabinet Secretaries, are on contract. Therefore, all civil servants, including doctors, would be subjected to the same conditions as state officers.
He said the proposal is in motion and is set to be presented to the Cabinet on Friday for review.
“All government workers will be converted to contracts. We are going to convert them from permanent and pensionable to contract but still pensionable. We are going to be on contract because we have to focus on productivity,” Kuria said.
The CS lamented how one million civil servants gobbled up almost half of the country’s tax revenues, contributing to the country’s bloated public wage bill. He emphasized the need for austerity measures to be implemented to lower the wage bill and alleviate 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.
“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,” CS Kuria added.
Doctor’s Strike
While addressing the doctors’ strike, Kuria accused the medics of being dishonest in the ongoing talks.
“As a Minister, I’ve been extremely patient and walked with the doctor’s union but I’m full of major regrets. I am not used to dishonesty, I cannot understand how we can go to a meeting and agree on one thing, and then two hours later they change the goalpost on what was agreed,” said Moses Kuria.
The Minister questioned why the union declined to respect court orders directing the strike to be suspended. Consequently, Kuria ordered the union’s dues to be suspended forthwith.
“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.
“All good things must have a sacrifice. I have instructed my payroll people not to remit the dues for this union because I will be abetting crime and disrespecting court orders. Enough is enough!”
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