Published on 14/08/2008
By Ayub Savula
The Government will recall more than 100 employees in a shake up affecting al
l the 50 missions abroad, The Standard has established. The move will affect junior, middle-level and some senior staff in reforms that Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula and Permanent Secretary Thuita Mwangi say are aimed at cost cutting.
At the senior level, those affected are accountants and Government executive officers posted to all foreign missions. On Wednesday, the PS told The Standard that the Government would save Sh15 million a year from each of the junior staff recalled home and Sh20 million for the middle level officers. “This cost includes housing, utility bills, medical cover and school fees for their children, among other things,” said Mwangi.
Also to be recalled are education attachÈs, who control foreign scholarships in the missions.
Mwangi said many of the staff would be redeployed to other ministries and those who had reached retirement age would retire.
The move comes two months after Nominated MP Mohammed Affey of ODM-Kenya asked the Foreign Affairs minister in Parliament why salaries of ambassadors and High Commissioners were not increased when the Government rewarded PSs.
However, Mr Wetangula said his ministry declined to increase diplomats’ salaries and allowances because pay raise proposals were skewed.
Lean staff
Wetangula said embassies would have lean staff to cut down on foreign missions’ budget.
The PS said all accountants would be recalled and the ministry plans to carry out the function from Nairobi.
The junior staff affected includes drivers, cooks and security warders.
“There is no need of drivers from Kenya serving in embassies because it is an expensive exercise,” added Mwangi.
He said in some cases, some diplomats had moved their relatives to foreign missions and employed them as cooks or drivers.
Mwangi said this was costly to the Government.
He said major reforms had been carried out in the ministry in the past two years to boost efficiency and cut down the cost of expenditure in foreign missions.
The changes are also part of Government plans to restructure the missions.
“We want staff in the missions who can perform multi-functions which include economic, foreign policy and political affairs,” he added.
Mwangi also said a new yardstick had been designed in the ministry to ensure quality performance in foreign missions.
The new Foreign Service Institute will also help shape up the ministry staff to enhance effective co-ordination of foreign policy.
Mwangi said the Government had also stopped paying school fees for children of middle level staff in the missions.
“Some missions used to misuse money on leisure activities, which include horse riding, and even paid money to study piloting,” said Mwangi.
But in the reforms, the ministry has also opened new embassies in Africa and other countries and acquired some assets.
“We now have a beautiful chancery in Dar-es-Salaam. We have also achieved much in Brazil and Islamabad,” said the PS
“How can we have one senior or two senior staff in one mission having an accountant posted from Kenya. This is wastage of resources ” he said.
However, the PS noted that some of the staff to be recalled had decided to remain in foreign countries but hired on local terms. He said this is cheaper because they don’t have to be housed.
Mwangi said recalled employees would be absorbed locally or retired voluntary.
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