Former Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi is on the spot over promotion of 28 senior officers when she was serving as the county speaker. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is currently investigating an alleged irregular promotion of the officers between 2017 and 2020 by Elachi who was then the chair of County Assembly Public Service Board.
The CAS have been accused of conducting the promotions in total disregard of the law and due process. A letter from the EACC to the clerk of the county assembly dated September 22 read, “The Commission pursuant to its constitutional and statutory mandate is investigating allegations of abuse of office against Hon. Beatrice Elachi, the former Speaker and Chair, Nairobi City County Assembly Service Board and the illegal conduct of the board.”
Sources reveal that Elachi and the board are being accused of conducting promotions without requisite budgetary provisions. They did not take budgetary provisions nor engage the Commission for Revenue Allocation to cater for the promotions in 2019.
They further stated that their actions strained the budget and led to the suspension of critical services to allow the assembly to pay salaries. This led to creation of bills worth 51 million by the end of the financial year 2020/2021. The board is further accused of bias and discrimination while carrying out direct appointments; “favoring contract employees related to the chairperson of the board as of 2019.”
It is revealed that the assembly had 18 interns but all their services were terminated except for a few. Later on, the terminated interns were recalled and employed on contract. In addition, the officers continued to earn salaries without contracts of employment, leading to loss of public fund.
Other allegations include; disregard for schemes of service in terms of qualification and experience there was appointment of officers to positions they were not qualified for, others were promoted and appointed to positions that were not vacant, leading to redundancies, overlaps and loss of funds. Further, the move by the board to create two offices of the Deputy Clerk is a matter of concern to EACC.
The Commission has requested to be furnished with documents that will assist in further investigations. It further wants personal documents of the Deputy Clerk Administration and all the Directors of the Nairobi County Assembly Service Board. It further wants the list of all principal officers, senior officers and all officers given direct appointments among other documents. Elachi however denied receiving any letter from the EACC
