A watchdog committee has reprimanded Kenya Wildlife Service over the recent recruitment process that they must confidentially submit the names of those who applied for cadets and rangers
In order to avoid the criticism from the parliamentarian and general public leading to nullification of the whole recruitment drive just like what happened in Kenya Revenue Commission’s, legislators demanded scrutiny of the names before gazettement
The National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities Chairman Yussuf Hajji had to rule in favour of majority of members of parliament who sought scrutinizing the list of all applicants against their counties and sub counties and what qualifications they hold before being hired
“Majority have said that we halt the session and table the data to the clerk so that mps can scrutinise and give you the feedback
Make sure there’s ethnic balance, regional representation, gender equality , marginalized people must be also featured, we don’t want to challenge the process while you have finished like we did in KRA and Kenya Forest Service,” Mandera North MP Yussuf Hajji told KWS Director General Erastus Kanga who bowed to the pressure
Kasipul Kapondo Member of Parliament Charles Were who has been very vocal about the equal opportunities to all, pleaded to the KWS officials to take the criticism positive and heed to their demands for the betterment of an inclusive country and governance
“If I were you, would have just provided that document at parliament, we shall treat it as confidential information, deliberate it and forward back once we are satisfied with your criteria of shortlisting and hiring.
There’s no need to cancel the whole list or be nullified by the courts because of some mistakes which would have been mitigated,” Were sought MD
MPs raised concerns that the recruitment were done at county headquarters claiming of possible lock out of some people at sub county level who would have qualified
But according to Mr Erastus Kanga, admitted the process was done at the county headquarters but they considered all persons from sub county levels including wards
“Mr Chair, I understand and appreciate the question but given our human resources, our team couldn’t make at sub county level because we needed about 1500 cadets and rangers countrywide.
We are not like Kenya Police who recruit about 5000 recruits thus can send the team every sub county and military who are recruit about 10,000 at ago thus picking every suitable candidate at the location or sub locations units,” Kanga explained to the already charged lawmakers
Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkey alleged that KWS carried the list with them in a sealed envelope of names of people from Nairobi who would represent people of Narok as well as Kajiado North legislator Onesmus Ngogoyo who claimed none of the cadets or rangers shortlisted for the interview from Kajiado county
Lamu County Woman Representative Monica Muthoni Marubu also claimed despite wildlife animals endangering the lives of lamu people they don’t feature anywhere in the composition of Kenya Wildlife Service demanding equal opportunities as well