Ex-NMS officers claim exclusion in county government recruitment procedure
Former Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) officers II and Constables have raised their voices against what they claim is unjust treatment and ‘corruption’ in the absorption process orchestrated by the Nairobi County Government.
Expressing their discontent, the 700 former officers accused Governor Sakaja’s administration of reneging on promises made regarding their absorption into the county’s workforce.
The group claims the county boss promised to give them priority in the recently advertised constable positions.
However, despite their applications, shortlisting, and successful interviews, only a fraction of the officers, a mere 43 out of 351 shortlisted, were eventually selected for appointment.
Speaking to Nairobi News, Flavian Wabuyabo, the chairman of the group urged President William Ruto and Governor Sakaja to intervene decisively in the matter.
He urged the authorities to root out corruption and restore the integrity of the absorption process, which has left their lives “massacred and destroyed in broad daylight.”
The officers have also vowed to escalate the matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Ethics and Anti Corruption (EACC), the Judiciary, and the Office of the Ombudsman, seeking urgent action and assistance in their quest for justice.
Early 2023, Sakaja directed former NMS staff whose contracts expired to report to City Hall and apply for permanent county posts.
“I directed that all former NMS enforcement officers whose contracts with NMS had expired to report back to work immediately and be paid their pending dues. We will give them priority to apply for the permanent and pensionable jobs under the Nairobi County Government,” the Governor stated.
However, the labour committee in their report 2023 stated the County is under no obligation to absorb the enforcement officers recruited under the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services.
In 2021, the defunct NMS, under Director General Mohamed Badi, announced the recruitment of 700 enforcement officers who replaced those who retired and some who resigned.
In May last year, 241 recruits were absorbed as constables and given three-year renewable contracts subject to satisfactory performance.
However, their contracts were affected by the termination of NMS which was established by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta during the regime of Mike Sonko.
NMS was created in 2020 after an agreement with the then administration that led to the transfer of four key functions from the Nairobi City County Government to the National Government.
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