Civil servants’ bid for tea factory posts brews up a storm

A farmer plucks tea. In Meru, controversy has hit tea factory elections over whether or not civil servants should vie for top positions in the factories. FILE 

By DICKSON MWITI

Controversy has hit tea factory elections in Meru over whether or not civil servants should vie for directorships.

Farmers who deliver tea to Kiegoi Tea Factory in Igembe South have threatened to boycott the elections on Tuesday if the civil servants are allowed to run. They said the Constitution bars State officers from engaging in any other gainful employment.

Through their spokesman, John Murithi, the farmers called on the civil servants to relinquish their public offices before running for the posts.

“The Constitution bars civil servants from participating in such elections unless they resign. I wonder whether the same document applies in Kiegoi Tea Factory because such guidelines are always flouted,” Mr Muriithi said.

Peter Kimathi Kuria, a farmer who is seeking to be elected as one of the directors, called on the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) to enforce Chapter 6 (77) (1) of the Constitution, which bars a full time State officer from having another gainful employment.

The Constitution, however, defines a State officer as a holder of a Constitutional Office starting with the President and his deputy, ministers, MPs, judges and magistrates, commissioners, county office holders, the Attorney-General and director of public prosecutions and the directors general of the National Intelligence Service and National Police Services and their deputies.

However, section 12 of the Public Officer and Ethics Act bars civil servants from engaging in roles that could create a conflict of interest with their public duties.