By Investigative Reporter
Storm is brewing at the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) after the commission was accused of allegedly floating the procedures and laws in the recent recruitment of its Secretary and Chief Executive Officer.
Similarly, the Commission has been accused of denying other prospective applicants the opportunity to apply, participate, and be considered for appointment by failing to advertise the job offer in the country’s daily newspapers as required by the law.
Equally, the Commission is also accused of widespread nepotism in the employment of staff at the Commission with allegations of favoritism in employment by the commissioners and top management.
For the post of chief officer, the commission has been accused of alleged conflict of interest, failure to advertise the post in two widely read daily newspapers, and to failure to adhere to the conditions and spirit of the advert.
The Commission had advertised on its website for the position of Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer capped: COMMISSION SECRETARY/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER REF: NGEC/HR/1/1/2024 – (1 POST) TERMS OF SERVICE: CONTRACT
It listed the requirements for the appointment to be considered for the post, a candidate must:
Be a Kenyan citizen; hold a degree from a university recognized in Kenya and have had at least ten years proven experience at management level.
And that a candidate must have had experience in public administration; and meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.
The Commission recently appointed Dr Purity Ngina as the CEO who has ten years of proven experience at the management level and experience in public administration.
According to the documents seen by The Western Insight Media, Dr. Ngina claims to have 10 years of experience in education, both in the classroom and in evidence-based policymaking.
“In 2020, Purity Ngina left Strathmore University after four (4) years of teaching to concentrate on her passion for Education Research at Zizi Afrique Foundation, especially in 21st-century measurements and skills for youth,” the document read.
As a Regional Manager at Zizi Afrique Foundation, she led a team of thirty-five in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to deliver quality evidence and advocate for evidence uptake in the Education sector.
She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2013 December and in 2015 she attained a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from Egerton University and June 2018 she got a Doctor of Philosophy in Biomathematics from Strathmore University.
Sources intimated to the writer that one of the committees of the Senate sitting in Mombasa had raised the issue with the board over the appointment and qualification of the new CEO and why they failed the alleged conflict of interest.
The Commission was also accused by the senate committee of nepotism that was stifling its operations.
It is alleged that at the interview, the applicant and a commissioner never revealed to the panel a possible conflict of interest owing to the existence of a relationship.
Acting Chairperson Mr. Tom Koyier stated that the Commission currently does not have a chairperson or a deputy and that he was holding the brief for the moment.
He said the commission opted to undertake online advertising owing to a lack of finances because of budget cuts and therefore was not able to place the advert in the daily newspaper due to the cost.
“I cannot comment further on the issue. We will establish the allegations and respond appropriately,” he said.
Sources claimed the board manipulated the exercise and denied qualified Kenyans the opportunity to participate in the interview as the successful candidate was already predetermined.
They want the Head of Public Service to intervene to allow for competitive selection of the new chief executive officer of the board.
They also want the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate allegations of nepotism in employment.
They said the Commission failed in its mission to promote gender quality and freedom from all forms of discrimination in the country, especially for special interest groups through compliance with policies, laws, and practices in the recruitment of the new CEO.
“The core values of the Commission are fairness, inclusivity, accountability, teamwork, and integrity. Why didn’t they employ the core values,” they quipped.
