The National Employment Authority (NEA) is teetering on the edge of administrative collapse as fresh revelations deepen an already festering leadership and governance crisis within the agency tasked with spearheading employment opportunities for Kenya’s youth.
At the centre of the latest storm is the continued tenure of NEA Director-General, Madam Edith Okoki, who remains in office despite having attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 on May 24, 2025 in clear violation of the Public Service Commission Act, 2017 (Section 80), the Presidential Directive of July 2024, and a circular from the Head of Public Service dated August 5, 2024.
These directives uniformly mandate immediate retirement at age 60 for all public servants (except for persons with disabilities, whose age cap is 65).
According to internal staff reports, Madam Okoki’s refusal to vacate office is not merely an isolated infraction but a culmination of longstanding administrative irregularities, including:
- Irregular staff confirmations: Several officers at Job Group “P” were promoted directly to Director-level positions (Job Group “T”) without due competitive process as required by PSC rules.
- Illegitimate occupation of NEA roles by Ministry staff: Officers still on the Ministry of Labour’s payroll have been unlawfully confirmed to NEA positions, creating serious financial and legal risks, including potential budget misappropriation.
- Undermining chain of command: On May 15, 2025, the DG bypassed NEA’s only substantive Director to appoint a junior acting officer to oversee the Authority in her absence, raising red flags about favoritism and disregard for protocol.
- Retrospective board approvals: An impromptu NEA Board meeting held virtually on May 16, 2025, allegedly sought to retroactively endorse irregular appointments made earlier—an act viewed by staff as a cover-up for illegal decisions.
Further compounding the crisis is the refusal by the Director-General to confirm appointments of staff who completed their probationary periods over 11 months ago, in disregard of Public Service Commission circulars and internal advisories.
Instead, the NEA Board, led by the Director-General, has irregularly confirmed several officers from Job Group P directly into senior Director-level positions (Job Group T) without following the mandated competitive recruitment processes.
These appointments also include individuals who remain Ministry employees, receiving their salaries and benefits from their parent Ministry rather than from NEA.
This practice contravenes public service regulations that prohibit substantive NEA appointments without formal transfers or deployments, posing legal and financial risks.
The leadership has further bypassed the legitimate chain of command by appointing a junior acting officer to oversee the Authority in the Director-General’s absence, disregarding the sole substantive Director in the highest job group, thus violating established protocols.
The NEA Board convened an emergency virtual meeting shortly after to retroactively approve these irregular appointments, effectively seeking to legitimize decisions made outside the proper process.
These events, coupled with the DG’s resistance to basic welfare provisions for staff, including delays in medical insurance and pension plans, have created what employees describe as a “hostile and demoralizing work environment.”
Employees report inadequate medical insurance coverage, absence of pension plans, shortage of essential working tools, and a hostile workplace culture characterized by fear and exclusion.
Internal memos, attached to a recent petition addressed to the Ministry of Labour, PSC, and other oversight bodies, paint a picture of systemic dysfunction: exclusionary leadership practices, disregard for PSC circulars, and a management culture described as “fear-based and non-collaborative.”
Such conditions have led to low morale and diminished the Authority’s ability to deliver on its mission.
The financial implications are momentous.
The NEA’s 2025/26 budget, which allocates approximately Ksh 167.3 million for personnel costs, is based on the official staff establishment.
The unauthorized appointment of officers from the Ministry without budget provision risks misallocation of funds and possible public audit challenges.
The staff petition reiterates that the unlawful extension of the Director-General’s tenure undermines the rule of law and public service ethics, setting a dangerous precedent that allows senior officials to evade retirement regulations that apply uniformly to other public servants.
The petition calls on the Public Service Commission, the Ministry of Labour, and relevant oversight bodies to enforce the mandatory retirement laws and ensure accountability for any collusion or negligence that enabled these breaches.
It further requests that a proper leadership transition be facilitated promptly, including the appointment of an acting or substantive Director-General through transparent and merit-based processes.
Staff welfare reforms and governance improvements are also urged to restore NEA’s functionality and reputation.
The most pressing concern now, however, is the Director-General’s unlawful stay in office. Multiple legal frameworks, including a Presidential directive issued on July 5, 2024, mandated that public servants who had reached retirement age should proceed on immediate retirement. This directive was part of broader efforts to open job opportunities for Kenya’s youth, a core mission of NEA.
Staff express deep concern that NEA cannot effectively serve the youth while its leadership violates the rules designed to create space for them.
In their latest appeal, employees have demanded the immediate enforcement of the Director-General’s retirement in line with Section 80 of the Public Service Commission Act and relevant executive directives.
They have also called for accountability regarding irregular appointments and potential financial mismanagement resulting from unauthorized promotions and payroll inconsistencies.
Loading...
Reload document
Open in new tab 
