A group of Nairobi MCAs has cautioned the Board of Directors at Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCW&SC) against extending the contract of Managing Director Nahashon Muguna without adhering to proper procedures.
Led by Majority Leader Peter Imwatok, the MCAs argue that Muguna, who is set to reach retirement age in nine months, should instead begin preparing for terminal leave to pave the way for new leadership.
“If you are an MD and your time to retire has reached, please retire and go home and let someone else be nurtured,” said Imwatok, who also represents Makongeni Ward. He criticized the water agency for its history of extending senior officers’ contracts unilaterally, urging the board to formally notify Muguna of his imminent retirement and initiate plans for his succession.
Muguna was first appointed as MD in August 2017 and confirmed as the substantive Managing Director in May 2020. Under public service regulations, an MD seeking reappointment must write to the board at least six months before the end of their term. The board is then required to evaluate their performance and recommend either renewal or termination to the appointing authority. However, the MCAs argue that Muguna’s impending retirement disqualifies him from any contract extension.
The County Assembly also expressed concern over the growing wage bill caused by overstaffing in some departments and failure to retire officers who have exceeded the mandatory age of 60.
In their critique, the MCAs pointed out that:
- Several audits by the Controller of Budget, Auditor General, and the County Assembly have recommended reducing the wage bill to comply with Section 15 (2)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
- Despite these recommendations, the county continues to recruit and extend contracts for officers past retirement age, violating Section 80 (1)(a) and (b) of the Public Service Commission Act, 2012.
Additionally, the Assembly cited circulars issued by the Public Service Commission (November 2020) and the Ministry of Public Service (February 2023), which emphasize mandatory retirement policies.
The Assembly is now pushing for:
- Enforcement of strict regulations ensuring all staff in the County Executive, County Assembly, and NCW&SC who have reached the mandatory retirement age immediately retire.
- Adherence to policies requiring officers to take their accumulated leave days.
These measures aim to address inefficiencies in the workforce and ease the financial burden on the county. “The board must act decisively to restore compliance and inject fresh talent into leadership roles,” Imwatok said.
