Serving Principal Secretaries, technocrats, and politicians from the South Rift Valley region are among the candidates shortlisted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) for the position of Principal Secretaries.
The region’s PSC shortlist includes a former governor, former deputy governor, former Members of Parliament, two former county secretaries, and a former Member of the County Assembly who also serves as a top United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party official.
Former County Executive Committee members and politicians who ran unsuccessfully in the UDA party primaries have also been shortlisted.
Despite being from two neighboring counties, two candidates have been listed as coming from Bomet County. Even before the PSC interviews begin, this has sparked a firestorm.
Devolution Principal Secretary Julius Kiplangat Korir, a resident of Narok South, and Dr Rutto E.K Peter Ketyenya, a resident of Olenguruene, Kuresoi South, in Nakuru County, were mistakenly listed as residents of Bomet.
Dr. Ketyenya is a Nakuru County County Executive Committee Member for Finance and Economic Planning. He was a member of President William Ruto’s campaign team of economic experts.
“The Public Service Commission should correct this anomaly or penalize the two candidates if they provided false information about their residence in order to gain an unfair advantage over the other candidates.” “Their residence is public knowledge,” said political commentator Wilson Sigei.
Some of the serving PSs in the South Rift who have been shortlisted for interviews include Mr Alfred Kipkorir Cheruiyot of Post Training and Skills Development, Mr Charles Sunkuli of Youth Affairs, Mr Saitoti Torome of Planning, and Mr Julius Korir of Devolution.
Former Jubilee nominated MP David Sankok, former MPs Sylvanus Maritim (Ainamoi) and Lemein Korei (Narok South), former Langata MP Nixon Korir, and former Kericho Woman Representative Hellen Chepkwony have also been shortlisted.
Ms Aurelia Chepkirui Rono, a former Chemaner Ward MCA in Bomet East and a member of the UDA National Election Board, has been shortlisted for the interviews.
Ms Rono, a finance expert, was on the initial UDA parliamentary nomination shortlist but did not make the final cut.
Apart from Mr Sunkuli, Mr Tunai, and Mr Torome, those shortlisted in Narok County are Mr Joseph Simintei ole Sonkori, Ms Caroline Naisiae Sankam, Mr John Lekakeny Ololtua, and Ms Juliana Nashipae Yiapan.
Mr Sonkori, a senior procurement officer at the Parliamentary Service Commissioner, previously worked as the Narok County Chief Revenue Officer. He is an expert in finance management and leadership.
Ms Sankam works for the Agricultural Finance Corporation, Ms Yiapan for the Interior Department, and Mr Ololtua is a former Regional Director of Education.
Ms Beatrice Chepkorir Tonui, a former acting County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Agriculture in Bomet County during the tenure of former Governor Isaac Ruto, has been shortlisted.
On a UDA ticket, she ran unsuccessfully for the position of Bomet Woman Representative.
Ms Cherono Eunice Benson, a former member of the Public Service Board who unsuccessfully ran for the UDA Bomet Woman Representative party ticket, and Ms Vicky Betty Chepkorir, an employee of Geothermal Development Corporation, will also be interviewed by the commission.
