The national government will recruit more Assistant County Commissioners now that the Public Service Commission has cleared the hiring, The Star reported. Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the ministry would soon advertise the vacancies. He urged qualified chiefs and assistant chiefs to apply.
Omollo said the new officers would run newly gazetted administrative units and improve coordination of government programmes at the grassroots. More units would shorten the distances residents travel to seek government help, he said. "As we bring these units into operation, we want qualified Kenyans, including those already serving their communities, to take up these opportunities and help make government services more accessible," he said.
The PS spoke at the inauguration of Kikumbulyu Division in Kibwezi West, Makueni County. He officially opened the division and installed its first Assistant County Commissioner. The division covers 127 villages in Ngulu, Kathyaka, Ngandani and Ndetani sub-locations. Village elders are expected to lead community mobilisation and information sharing.
Omollo outlined steps to improve working conditions for chiefs and assistant chiefs. They include more training, higher operational funding, local distribution of uniforms and the processing of delayed promotions. He said paramilitary and legal training had left officers better prepared. The ministry was also working to clear outstanding promotion cases, he added.
He said village elders began receiving a KSh 3,000 monthly stipend in July and that payments were ongoing. The government also plans to give them smartphones. According to The Star, President William Ruto had earlier said the National Treasury would fund the phones. Ruto also said the Social Health Authority would provide medical cover for elders and their families.
The PS told administrators to step up community security. He said chiefs are often the first point of contact when family or community disputes break out. Settling disputes early stops them from escalating, he said, while serious cases go to the police. He told officers in Kibwezi Sub-County that more units must come with more accountability.
With national examinations underway, Omollo praised administrators for helping keep candidates safe. He asked them to work with parents during the holidays to prevent dropouts. He also wants learners back in class when schools reopen in January. He highlighted their role in farmer registration and urged them to stay impartial.