By Queen Mwandiki
Transferred revenue officers are still holed up in their stations, a week after being transferred to new stations.
Yesterday, officials of the Machakos County Workers union demanded action by the county finance minister Onesmus Kuyu to implement the just concluded reshuffles.
Most of those who haven't moved are serving in quarries that fetch upto Kes 1m each daily. The quarries are located in Mavoko Sub County that generates a huge chunk of county revenue.
The County Chief Officer for Revenue Mr Mike Jace Senga ordered the transfer of over 500 revenue staff in letters that were signed for him by the Director of Revenue Collection David Kakonzi.
The transfers were so confusing that both officers found themselves deployed to junior roles after the letters were drafted under direction of Mr Kuyu and placed before Mr Senga for signing.
When Senga explained that the role of shuffling the officers is not his, the letters were shoved to Mr Kakonzi who signed for Mr Senga. In the end, the two officers discovered each of them had a letter posting them as revenue officers in Mwala Sub County.
However the two ignored the drama and remained in office to sort out the crisis created by the shuffles that required those affected to report to new stations before January 5, 2024. Those transferred include sickly workers, elderly staff with days left to retirement while others are bed ridden due to disease. The movements affected 435 new revenue staff whose employment process is incomplete- including some between 60-70 years old.
Mr Kuyu was still smarting up from the fiasco this week and told reporters on Tuesday that the two officials (Senga and Kakonzi) would not be moving after all.
Union chairperson Ms Ruth John said today that it's not logical for some workers affected by the reshuffles to refuse to move, yet their replacements had reported. She said those reneging to move are those working in the lucrative quarries, pointing out that this could be because the exercise is upstaging undertakings by Cartels.
She urged the County Leadership to act swiftly in making sure that all transfers have been effected.
