By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
Controversies surrounding the appointment of Jacque Maribe to a plum government job continue to elicit mixed reactions.
Maribe was a few days ago said to have secured a job as the Director of Communications at the Ministry of Public Service.
The ministry is headed by Moses Kuria a cabinet secretary who was quoted by various media platforms confirming the appointment.
Kuria however made it clear that he was not the one who made the appointment but the Public Service Commission.
Fast forward days later and the PSC came out to clarify the matter.
In a statement, the commission mandated to employ state officers said it had not made such an appointment. It also pointed out that CS Kuria had not made any request for Maribe, formerly a Citizen TV Journalist, to be employed on the job.
Intrestlingly, PSC said should the said job be vacant, it would be filled competitively.
But the statement came a little bit too late as a section of Kenyans had already hit out at the CS for making the appointment without following due process.
CS Kuria has since insisted that Maribe has been his long-time friend hence he will not abandon her despite the PSC stand.
The former journalist was seen with the CS at an event on Thursday, sparking fresh reactions over her supposed government job.
Wading into the matter, Azimio spokesperson Makau Mutua offered a glimpse of why Kenyans were mad at Moses Kuria.
According to Mutua, Kenyans concerns are not about Kuria’s relationship with Maribe but the impunity he is exhibiting by giving her a job.
He went further to express the need for state officers to draw the line between private and public jobs.
“My friend @HonMoses_Kuria now says he will continue to “stand by Jacque Maribe” in spite of what he calls “unjustified bullying.” Look amigo, you can stand by her, behind her, in front of her, kneel, or sit next to her. That’s not the concern of Kenyans,” the scholar said in part of a post on X.
“Our beef is with IMPUNITY and the gifting of competitive public office jobs to cronies and assorted others in violation of the law sans transparency. Let’s distinguish between public jobs and private hires in your home or company. We own the office to which you attempted to appoint her,” he added.
The Azimio spokesperson further said no Kenyan will allow the controversial CS to get away with the matter “no matter how hard you bloviate, obfuscate, or gaslight.”
“Nyet! Accept your error, repent, and follow the law,” he added.