By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
The Public Service Commission (PSC) has come out to put things straight over reports that former Citizen TV Journalist Jacque Maribe had landed a lucrative government job.
Over the weekend, reports emerged that Maribe had been appointed the director of communications at the Ministry of Public Service.
The appointment, the reports indicated, had been made by Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria.
But in a statement on Thursday, March 14, 2024, PSC said it had not made any such appointment.
It also pointed out that no request for such an appointment has been made by the said CS.
“The Public Service Commission has not appointed former Royal Media journalist Jacque Maribe as Head of Communications in the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management, contrary to social media posts attributed to Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria,” read part of the statement.
Further, the statement noted that PSC chairperson Amb. Anthony Muchiri clarified that “neither has a request to employ her been received by the board.”
PSC is constitutionally mandated to make appointments for all state officers.
It insisted that should there be a vacancy in the said position, a suitable person will be competitively recruited.
“For the record, the said position will be filled through a competitive recruitment process should a vacancy arise,” the commission said.
When reports of Maribe’s appointment emerged, several reputable media stations quoted CS Kuria confirming the same.
However the CS clarified that it was not him that made the appointment, but the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Reports of Maribe landing a state job came weeks after he was cleared of any wrongdoing in the brutal murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani.
She had been accused together with his ex-lover Jowie Irungu of killing the businesswoman.
Jowie was however found guilty of murder and was sentenced to death on March 13, 2024.
The family has however indicated that that it would appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, Maribe’s appointment had also been confirmed by digital strategist Dennis Itumbi.
Itumbi is a close ally of President William Ruto.
Maribe had also confirmed her appointment in a post on social media and even shared a Facebook post of CS Moses Kuria on March 12, 2024.