Possibility of the self-styled no nonsense Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha being forced out of cabinet is not far-fetched and the unwelcome slur against an elderly senior education officer adds fodder to his exit process.
Well-placed sources who spoke to The Informer disclosed several quarters hold that the CS is bloated by arrogance, runs the ministry affairs without consultations as a one man show and is fond of name-dropping.
The former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza was sacked after a Tribunal recommended her dismissal for pinching security guard Rebecca Kerubo’s nose at Village Market in Nairobi
“The CS is on his way out. It is a matter of when but not if. The recent slur issue against the regional education officer just presented rare most sought opportunity to force him out. He is facing a Nancy Baraza moment.” A senior officer privy with the goings on intimated.
Magoha has maintained that he is still in charge of the ministry and he will continue to discharge all duties assigned to him by the Head State.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) withdrew Human Resource management functions assigned to him and delegated the same to his Principal Secretary Dr Belio Kipsang.
Without offering an apology, Magoha said he is not perfect and defended his management skills.
“While I do concede that I am not perfect, in the process of reforms of the magnitude required to improve service delivery in the education sector. I also recognize that this process is bound to generate resistance if tangible results are to be achieved,” Magoha said.
Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman Stephen Kirogo, in a circular, said all human resource matters shall henceforth be handled by Education Principal Secretary Dr Belio Kipsang until further notice.
“The purpose of this general letter is to inform you that in view of the recent incident in the Ministry of Education relating to the role of the Authorized Officer, the Commission has in the meantime withdrawn the delegation of its powers and functions from the Cabinet Secretary, Prof. George A. O. Magoha, CBS and delegated the said powers to the Principal Secretary for Early Learning and Basic Education, Dr. Richard Belio Kipsang, CBS with immediate effect,” read the circular addressed to chairpersons of Public Universities Councils.
The PSC boss, in a subsequent statement to the press through the commission’s Communications Director Browne Kutswa, termed Prof. Magoha’s actions towards the official as “undignified and unwarranted.”
“Kirogo noted that the move was in exercise of the Commission’s powers and commitment to protect public servants against undignified and unwarranted attacks, reiterating that the execution of delegated authority is designed to foster public confidence and maintain the integrity and dignity of the public service,” read the letter.
The role was withdrawn after a video went viral on social media, in which he dressed down a senior county education official in public, even telling him he was “silly and stupid.”