The West Pokot County Government has put in place a new public service board amid controversies in the appointment of the Board Chief Executive officer.
The constitution of new team has been sucked into political supremacy struggles between the County Governor and the County assembly.
Last year,members of County assembly rejected the appointment of nominee Victoria Tumaini for not being a local. This had affected service delivery in the County.
The board members were sworn in during a ceremony that was conducted at the West Pokot County Governor’s residence in Kapenguria.
The board is led by the new Chairman John Matakou and acting Chief Executive officer Irene Mbito and five other board members.
Also sworn in are members of the Kapenguria Municipality Board who were gazetted two weeks ago.
The board took the oath of office to replace the former board whose contracts expired last year.
Speaking during the event, Governor John Lonyangapuo congratulated the members and declared the board as fully constituted to undertake duties which include developing and implementing human resource policies and framework, and other HR issues for the County Government according to relevant laws.
“We expect that the Board will exercise its ability to get the right people to deliver services to the public,” he said adding that the board was part of the Executive arm of the County Government and not an independent entity.
He appreciated the role of the recruitment panel for following the law; the County Assembly for approving the nominees and the members of the previous board.
The County chief admitted that the board finally had a qualified Secretary/CEO after two unsuccessful recruitment attempts.
“We shall now be able to employ people including health workers to help in the fight against Covid-19,” said Lonyangapuo.
The Governor reminded the board that they were required to serve all residents of West Pokot without discrimination or favor based on where they come from.
He said the new board members, who will serve on a part-time basis, had the responsibility of recruitment of a workforce to take the County to the next level, building on the work of the previous board.
Lonyangapuo implored on the board to exercise the highest forms of professionalism as expected in the implementation of the transformation agenda of West Pokot County.
He reminded the board that the oath was a solemn and sacred promise which all public servants were bound to abide by.
