Could this be the end of Magoha?

 

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha is under siege as calls are increasing to remove him for publicly calling a colleague an "idiot".

Magoha will not be resting easy – at least for now - after Senators called for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to take action against him in line with the Public Officer Ethics Act.

The lawmakers were led by Senate Majority leader Samuel Poghisio, Senators Ledama Olekina (Narok), Naomi Shiyonga (nominated), Gertrude Mushuruve (nominated) and Abshiro Halakhe (nominated).

The lawmakers want President Uhuru Kenyatta to take action against the former Nairobi University Vice Chancellor for insulting a junior education officer, the county Education chief in Uasin Gishu.

The lawmakers made time in their sitting on Thursday to pile pressure on the CS, who has remained unapologetic.

On Thursday, the Public Service Commission – charged with the human resources issues of public servants – delegated the ministry's HR mandate to Education PS Belio Kipsang.

The move followed an outcry from leaders and the public over Magoha's conduct.

However, Magoha dismissed the PSC's directive, insisting he will carry out his entire mandate unless advised otherwise by his appointing authority, President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The CS was captured insulting an Uasin Gishu director of Education Gitonga Mbaka.

“Nikisema wewe ni mjinga ni uwongo (If I said you are foolish would I be lying?),” Magoha said to the officer.

The senators hit out at the CS, condemning the manner in which he handled his officer in front of the cameras.

“The CS, who is in charge of education, should be the last person to set a bad example to the public, including the millions of children in our education system, which he has been given the privilege to lead,” Shiyonga said.

“If indeed the CS had issues to raise with the concerned education official, there are official channels and procedures that he ought to follow instead of insulting his juniors.”

Shiyonga added the CS’s conduct breached the national values and principles of governance.

 “As a House, we must condemn the conduct of the CS. He must also apologise immediately and unreservedly to the education officials in Uasin Gishu county, and the entire country, for his unbecoming behaviour,” she stated.

Poghisio said Magoha’s comments were not only in bad taste but also unAfrican.

“It is not good to shout at someone whose children and family members are around for it makes them look like they do not matter. It does not matter how much they have wronged you.

"In any case, how did those people wrong the CS? What was there to anger the CS to the point that he could not control what he was saying?” the Majority leader asked.

“We demand that he apologises to the teachers and the country. I do get angered, but I cannot disrespect people who have also been given an opportunity to work by the same government," Poghisio said.

Olekina called for action against Magoha for violating the law on the conduct of public officers.

“I wish to remind him that the Act, which he subscribes to and signed to abide by, prohibits that kind of unprofessionalism. It is about time that the public officers, including us, realised that we serve those offices by the will of God and privilege,” he said.

 “Why would a sitting CS go and start running in classrooms? I have seen the CS actually do that in very many little corners of this country.

"If one goes to supervise such junior people, perhaps you are bound to find some fault and then get angry. Some people are not very evolved to manage their anger very well. Those things may come out,” Halakhe said.