Kajiado Public Service executive Alais Kisota allegedly forced a county officer to take compulsory leave.

The leave is said to have been imposed after the officer refused to sack officials who campaigned against Governor Joseph Lenku’s re-election.

The case was heard by the county assembly’s ad hoc committee on county public service on Thursday evening.

The committee heard that Kisota and his chief officer Rose Mumbe sent the county payroll manager Andrew Muange on a six-month compulsory leave, for failing to heed to “an important instruction.”

Muange then appealed through the assembly, to look into the alleged harassment, intimidation and unfair labour practices meted on him by Kisota.

The official told the committee that he registered a complaint against unfair treatment by the Public Service executive and his chief officer.

He said the complaint was for placing him on a six-month compulsory leave as a result of failing to follow the executive's directive.

“He [Kisota] said I failed to expunge the names of 11 county officers among others from the payroll and subsequently freeze them from earning their salaries. This was as a result of their political inclinations during the August 2022 polls,” Muange said.

He claimed that the said people were perceived by the Public Service executive as officers who failed to stand with Governor Lenku on August 9, 2022. 

Muange made prayers to the county assembly to overturn the forced six-month leave slapped on him by the Public Service executive.

In his defence, Kisota said the decision to send Muange on compulsory leave was a result of an audit query flagged by the national government.

He said the Public Service Commission undertook a payroll audit of all the counties.

“The Kajiado payroll department was riddled with audit queries on the claims of ghost workers, as well as an inefficient payroll management system,” Kisota said.

The ad hoc committee said it will give its recommendations and resolutions in its impending report on the matter.