At least 25 people were allegedly extorted and manipulated to part with huge amounts of money in exchange for job opportunities at the Coast Water Works Development Agency.
The agency advertised 12 positions to be filled by competent Kenyans from across the country-with the process coming under sharp scrutiny over the suspected shambolic recruitment process.
On the spot is the Human Resource Department that is headed by Simon Menza Charoh and the board.
Our investigations paint a rotten culture of employment after it emerged that some of the desperate and gullible applicants were parting with as much as Ksh 350 thousand which was to be shared among senior officials at the giant water parastatal.
Some of the applicants who have suspected foul play told the writer that the “ heartless” officials led by Charoh have been playing mind games with them, despite knowing that the recruitment process was pre-determined.
A source who refused to be blackmailed into submission and the trick deployed by Charoh and team revealed that the positions were being sold as a package to individuals willing to part with “handsome money”.
Some of the officials who benefited from the extortion spree have gone into hiding but a middle aged man who parted with a lot of money is considering taking legal action and willing to be a witness in pursuit of justice.
Some of the victims are inviting the DCI and EACC to separately pursue the matter.
They also want the board chaired by David Katama Mwaringa and Chief Executive Officer Investigated for overseeing impunity.
The positions advertised include Deputy Director Corporate Communications Officer responsible for coordinating Corporate Communications related activities including, Public relations and digital communication, Senior Corporate Communications Officer responsible for coordinating Corporate Communications related activities including, Public relations and digital communications, Principal Information Communication Technology Officer – responsible for facilitation and management of information and telecommunications through ICT Project Management and development of ICT systems.
Others are Laboratory Technician responsible for performing laboratory testing of water samples to determine bacterial content or contamination before and after treatment in a water distribution, Senior Office Administrator responsible for providing the front office services for the smooth coordination of activities of the Agency,Pump Operator -responsible for repair and maintenance work ,Inspector Electrical responsible for inspecting and maintaining machinery, plants and vehicles.
Lastly there are vacant positions for Inspector Mechanical responsible for maintaining the machines as well as inspecting and evaluating machinery, Mechanical Engineer responsible for maintaining the machines, carrying out repairs on machinery, plants and motor vehicle,Driver,Water treatment specialist and Human Resource and Administration Manager
The Coast Water Works Development Agency is a parastatal (Government Owned and Autonomous) created under the Water Act, 2016 and established through a Gazette Notice No. 59 of 26th April 2019. The area of jurisdiction of CWWDA covers all the six counties in Coast region namely; Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale and Taita Taveta.
Charo and head of procurement Stanlus Jira are not new in the wake of corruptions.