• They say county secretaries are graded much higher than members of the board and the chairperson.
• CPSB National Consultative Forum said they are also pursuing a court process to ensure that the issue is resolved amicably.
Image: CHARLES MGHENYI
The County Public Service Boards in the country have raised concerns over job group grading by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
CPSB National Consultative Forum chairperson Jared Kopiyo said on Monday they are being ranked below some county officials, who ought to be taking instructions from the County Public Service Boards.
“There has been a misnomer in the salary and grading structure of the County Public Service Boards members and their leadership,” he said.
Kopiyo who was speaking during the official opening of the 9th Annual Convention of the County Public Service Boards National Consultative Forum at PrideInn Hotel, Mombasa, said the issues of grading must be rectified by the SRC.
“The best example, for instance, which was flagged out is the grading for county secretaries which is much higher than members of the County Public Service Board and the chairperson. The county secretaries perform their mandate upon delegation by the service boards,” he said.
“Delegation is from the superior to junior, therefore, there is no way that we will have people, who essentially should report to us, being graded better and earning much higher salaries.”
Kopiyo said this is a conversation that has been ongoing with the SRC for some time.
“We have seen that there is some little progress,” he said.
However, at the same time, the CPSB National Consultative Forum said they are also pursuing a court process to ensure that the issue is resolved amicably.
“Alternatively, we are also pursuing a court process. Even as we talked to SRC, the court had already given an order that we engage out of court with the aim of recording consent with regards to the matter of our salaries,” Kopiyo said.
He said if the out of court matter fails, they will have to proceed with the legal process.
“In case the out of court process fails, the board and the forum are willing and ready to continue with the matter in court,” he said.
The one-week Mombasa meeting brought together the members and leaders of the CPSBs from all 47 counties in the country to discuss and reflect on the critical importance of their work.
This year’s theme is, "The Role of County Public Service Boards in Advancing Good Corporate Governance for Sustainable Development".
“This forum is meant to bring together the various members of the boards from the 47 counties to share areas of common interest with regard to our mandates. The convention is a meeting of minds to help us ventilate, share experiences and learn of best practices globally and nationally,” he said.
CPSB National Consultative Forum vice chairperson Farida Abdhalla said the County Public Service Boards are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that counties' public services are managed efficiently, ethically, and in a manner that promotes long-term sustainable development.
She said corporate governance is a fundamental pillar of the public service institutions.
“It is about ensuring transparency, accountability, and fairness in how we make decisions, allocate resources, and serve our communities. In an era marked by rapid change and growing public expectations, our role has never been more vital,” she said.
During the convention, the boards are expected to delve into the various facets of corporate governance and how it can drive sustainable development in the counties.
“We'll explore best practices, share experiences, and learn from experts in the field,” she said.