A decision by Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) board to employ nine people above the retirement age of 60 has landed it in trouble with a parliamentary committee.
The Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture now wants the board led by Mr Kembi Gitura to appear before it and answer questions in regards to the management of the facility.
The committee chaired by Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe during a meeting with the hospital management over audit queries raised by the Auditor General in her report covering financial years 2020/2021 to 2023/2024 said the board has questions to answer.
Top among the issues the committee wants the board to explain is how the hospital employed nine people who were above the retirement age.
"What happens to taxpayers' money that was used to pay people that you found out the process of hiring them was unlawful?" Mr Wangwe asked the hospital human resource director Tabby Muingai.
“Before we allow the board to appear before us and tell us why they sanctioned this illegality, the management must tell us why they allowed this to happen,” he added.
According to the audit report, the hospital paid Sh20.8 million to the nine staff contrary to Section 14.3.2 (a) of the Hospital’s Human Resource Policy and Procedures Manual of October 2019, which stipulates that the retirement age shall be 60.
“The hospital appears to have disregarded its own human resource policy by keeping retirees on the payroll. This raises serious accountability concerns,” Mr Wangwe said.
The corporate secretary, Ms Susan Kiliato, told the committee the nine include the director of administration, chief security officer, manager catering, funeral home caretaker among others.
The lawmakers said the officer did not possess any special skills that are not easy to find in the market to warrant their retention beyond retirement age.
The hospital management led by acting CEO Dr Zeinab Gura told the committee that the decision to employ the nine was sanctioned by the board.
“It was indeed an irregularity. However, during the operationalization phase, the board found it prudent to retain individuals who were familiar with the hospital’s establishment, “Ms Muingai told the committee.
Ms Kiliato told the lawmakers that some of the employees were already working at Kenyatta University and supporting the operationalization of the hospital before it became a referral facility.
“The board found it decent to get the support of those who have known the hospital so that they can help in the operationalization of the hospital,” Ms Kiliato said.
Mr Wangwe directed the management to provide board minutes that sanctioned the employment of the nine people ahead of their meeting.
“How many youths are trained as Utalii or well trained in the security sector waiting for opportunities? Why do you go for people aged 60, what special thing did you see in these people? asked Mr Wangwe.
Machakos Town MP Caleb Mule even though under certain circumstances in the public service, people beyond the retirement age can be allowed to continue offering services, it was not the case at Kenyatta Hospital.
“These people didn’t have any special skills to warrant being employed beyond the age of 60 years. You can easily get an administrator,” Mr Mule said.
Dr Zeinab however said the matter has since been resolved and there are no such cases at the moment.
“Currently we don’t have such cases of people working beyond the age of 60, All staff are notified three months before retirement and they undergo- pre retirement training at the Kenya School of Government,” Dr Zeinab said.
Mandera Woman Rep Umulkheir Kassim said the committee has a lot of questions regarding the operations of the hospital that only the board can answer.
“There are many questions raised in this report and it seems the management cannot give us answers. It is time we have a meeting with the board so that we can get the answers we are looking for,” Ms Kassim said.
The committee also wants explanation from the board about the land where the hospital was built which still belongs to the university.
According to the audit report currently being examined by the committee, the net book value of the land and the building is Sh5, 323,114 billion.
