Residents of Hulugho subcounty in Garissa have called for the immediate postponement of interviews for the recruitment of chiefs and assistant chiefs in the area.
The demand is part of residents protest against the decision to relocate the exercise to Masalani subcounty.
The residents want the interviews, initially scheduled for September 29, moved to Hulugho, citing impassable roads due to the ongoing rainy season and concerns over fairness, transparency and possible political interference.
The interviews have yet to take place.
In a formal protest letter addressed to Garissa county commissioner, the community said applicants seeking administrative positions in areas falling under Hulugho were being subjected to unnecessary logistical and financial hardships by being required to travel to another subcounty.
Dahir Duhul, an elder from Hadi location who authored the protest letter on behalf of the residents, said the decision had caused widespread concern among locals, who want the recruitment process conducted in a manner that guarantees equal opportunity to all qualified applicants.
“As a community, we are deeply concerned that applicants from Hulugho are being compelled to travel to Masalani to attend interviews for positions meant to serve their own communities, despite the prevailing rains and the difficult road conditions. This is an unnecessary burden that could deny qualified candidates a fair opportunity to compete,” Duhul said.
He called on the county commissioner and the regional commissioner to intervene and suspend the exercise until the venue is reviewed and suitable arrangements made to enable applicants to participate without undue hardship.
The disputed interviews cover several administrative units, including Eretkeli and Dallahele sub-locations in Hadi location, Hareriderow sublocation in Boma location, Doi location in Hulugho division and Mataarba location in Sangailu division.
Residents argue that since the positions are intended to serve communities within Hulugho subcounty, the recruitment exercise should be conducted within the area, subject to suitable weather and road conditions.
They have also raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the relocation, with Duhul alleging that the decision was made without adequate consultation with affected communities.
The community wants the authorities to investigate the circumstances under which the venue was changed and establish whether political interests or other improper considerations influenced the move.
The residents further warned against attempts to turn appointments to national government administrative positions into political rewards ahead of the 2027 general election.
They maintain that the positions of chiefs and assistant chiefs should be filled through a transparent, impartial and merit-based process, free from political patronage, favouritism and corruption.
While insisting that recruitment must adhere to public service procedures and the applicable laws, the community wants authorities to take into account the administrative boundaries and legitimate local circumstances of the areas concerned.
Duhul said residents were not seeking preferential treatment but equal consideration in a recruitment exercise that directly affects them.
The residents have called for the interviews to be postponed pending an administrative review, with a fresh date and an accessible venue within Hulugho to be announced once conditions permit.
They have also urged the authorities to guarantee that qualified applicants from the affected locations are given an equal opportunity to compete, without political interference or predetermined outcomes.
Copies of the protest letter were sent to Interior PS Raymond Omollo, North Eastern regional commissioner John Otieno, Public Service Commission chairperson, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, and elected leaders representing the affected areas.
