Be Careful With Plan For Public Job Contracts

A proposal to scrap permanent and pensionable government jobs and replace them with contracts has ruffled feathers.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria is pushing what could turn out to be an unprecedented change in government employment. According to him, this controversial proposal aims to enhance efficiency and productivity and address the huge public wage bill.

However, his explanation is hardly convincing and trade unionists, opposition politicians and legal experts have faulted the plan, citing legal loopholes. They have denounced it as reckless and difficult to implement.

Undeterred, the ministry has resolved to form a task force to advise the government on how to undertake the transition and boost public service productivity. This, however, is not a matter that such ad hoc team can resolve. It calls for broader consultation.

The public service is made up of 970,000 workers at the county and national government levels. As one unionist has explained, it would necessitate an amendment of the Employment Act and labour laws and the government, which is cash-strapped, would have to pay the accrued pensions before any envisaged changeover.

Mr Kuria and other officials involved in this must tread carefully to avoid destabilising the civil service, as this is bound to cause anxiety and distress. Useful change is one that will not cause confusion. It is not clear how the shift to contracts will improve the efficiency of public sector employees.

If it is purely about performance, then there are many tools available as is oversight and supervision instead of trying to ram untested proposals down peoples throats.

Granted that change is inevitable, it must be well thought out introduced to avoid rocking the boat.