This archive report was first published on 10 October 2019.
On October 10, 2019, Vihiga County Governor Wilber Ottichilo took drastic measures to address the irregular hiring of health workers in the county. The offices of the public service board were locked and placed under 24-hour surveillance, causing anxiety among staff.
The decision to shut down the offices was made after Governor Ottichilo stopped the payment of salaries for at least 500 new staff hired in May 2019 by the county public service board. The board's term had lapsed in June 2019, and the irregular hiring had significantly impacted the county's wage bill.
Public Service executive Paul Mbuni confirmed the closure of the offices, stating that the board's secretariat would remain away until investigations were concluded. He assured the affected personnel that they would not be victimized by the ongoing investigations.
According to Governor Ottichilo, the irregular hiring had a substantial impact on the county's wage bill. He said, "This is to notify all the staff of Vihiga public service board and members of the public that these offices are closed and shall remain so until conclusion of the investigations into the matter of recruitment of the new staff in the department of health."
