Public servants warned against engaging in corruption

By Peter Ochieng

Civil servants have been warned against engaging in corruption, lest they are ready to face dire consequences.

Speaking during the swearing in of three officers that included a substantive County Secretary and Head of Public Service, Bungoma governor Kenneth Lusaka warned against corruption, urging the new appointees to serve residents without discrimination.

He singled out officers in the payroll department for reportedly eganging in dubious activities.

"We will not allow ghost and the dead workers to continue gobbling up millions of shillings from the county coffers. We need to have the correct people earn from the service they are offering," he said.

"I have given you up to January 2024 to crack the whip on casualties involved in corruption, you were appointed to serve people and not seek for huge sums of money from other people. Shape up or ship out."

He called on the newly employed civil servants to work closely with those already in the system, to understand the code of conduct, ethics and regulations.

"To our newly appointed County Secretary, your first work is to cleanse our pay roll. I have invited people from Nairobi to help us in auditing the payroll so that we get rid of ghost workers," said the county chief.

The officers sworn in are William Nasong'o, the new County Secretary and Head of Public Service, Wanyonyi Buteyo as board member of the Kimilili municipality and Kikete Mung'ahu as a member of the Bungoma County Public Service Board.

Nasong'o is taking over 11 months after the exit of the then County Secretary Joseph Wambati.

Agriculture County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Monicah Fedha has been serving as acting County Secretary.

Bungoma deputy governor Jenipher Mbatiany called on the sworn in officers to support the governor, through offering good services.

"Following your appointment, serve our people well, service delivery is your core mandate, avoid the infighting amongst yourselves," she emphasised.

The new County Secretary assured the governor of his commitment towards serving the people of Bungoma County.