Panic has gripped Mombasa county health sector after Governor Abdulswamad Nassir constituted a task force to collect views to streamline the ailing department which has suffered negative reports from both the mainstream and the social media during the past regime.
The task force is mandated to collect views and recommend the way forward on how to reform the department which has been perceived as a cash cow through its tendering system
The county task force is headed by Chibanzi Mwachonda who is designated as county executive in charge of health with the preliminary report from collected views ready before a final report following allegations of massive corruption.
During the workforce collection of views, it has emerged that the morale of workers at the department had gone down due to poor working relations between the junior staff and the management.
The management staff have allegedly used the junior staff as a conduit to enrich themselves.
According to the views it has emerged that the department has been turned into a cash-cow to enrich a few at the top who have been pocketing money from the public coffers.
Calls to overhaul the entire department were among the views collected and presented to the task force with allegation of ghost workers and a bloated wage bill.
They demanded senior management positions should be held by medical practitioners instead of ordinary persons who lack managerial skills.
At one session, there were calls for the disbandment of the board of Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital.
A source has confirmed the views collected and the report awaits to be officially handed over before the governor appoints county executive officers before end of the next week.
We have confirmed that the governor is away in Naivasha for a retreat and is expected back over the weekend.
The source said a section of county chief officers have resigned after word went round that the governor has plans to send them home on compulsory leave.
Those interested to make a comeback will be forced to reapply through the county public service board and follow due process like other applicants.
It has emerged most of them were handpicked and appointed as a token of appreciation by the political class.
There will be no sacred cows in the appointment of county executive officers as all must pass the integrity test and apply through an advertisement.
The move is a litmus test for Abdulswamad’s administration as many of the county executives were appointed during his predecessor Hassan Joho’s administration.
For years, the health department has been under siege over allegations of massive corruption facing acting Mombasa county health chief officer Pauline Oginga.
Oginga is said to be an adopted daughter of former prime minister Raila Odinga and she is on the list of those who allegedly squandered Covid-19 pandemic money, and therefore likely to face related charges in court.
Oginga was employed by Abdulswamad’s predecessor and she is still in an acting capacity which is against labour laws.
Her behaviour and attitude has caused bad blood between her and elected leaders who have petitioned Abdulswamad to replace her with a competent person who is a medical practitioner.
She has been on the media’s focus despite putting a brave face due to her alleged scandals.
Pressure is also mounting from the civil society for her removal for allegedly making her position a cash cow to enrich herself at the expense of taxpayers.
We have also established that she is arrogant and lacks respect for medical practitioners in the county to an extent of there being bad blood between her and staff in the health department.
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