Junior staff at the Office of the Deputy President have been denied entry to the Harambee House Annex and Karen offices upon their return to work after the Mashujaa Day holiday. Police officers stationed at the entrances informed the workers that they would receive further communication regarding their status.
One employee shared their experience, stating, “I went to the office since I hadn’t been affected by the government’s decision to place senior officers on compulsory leave, but I was turned away at the gate. I was told I would receive a ‘notice’ soon regarding when to return.” Another staff member recounted pleading to retrieve personal belongings but was repeatedly told by the officers to go home, with no consideration given to their requests.
The junior staff expressed uncertainty about their situation. “The law requires that we should have been sent on leave in writing, but that hasn’t happened. We don’t understand why police officers are the ones restricting access to our offices while senior officers received official notifications,” one employee explained.
The group includes career civil servants who now face uncertainty about their October salaries, with some expressing concerns over outstanding bank loans. “We were never issued a written notice directing us to take leave, which complicates our efforts to demand salaries for the days we will be at home. We have loans that need servicing, and we hope the President will intervene,” another employee told The Standard.
Harambee Annex has been protected by the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit, but yesterday the staff found officers from the Rapid Deployment Unit. The development cames two days after the government sent on compulsory leave 108 senior staff working under the impeached Rigathi Gachagua, giving them until noon on Saturday to leave their offices.
“Following the ongoing constitutional process affecting the Deputy President, it has been decided that all officers in Job Groups T and U are to proceed on compulsory leave immediately,” Principal Administrative Secretary Patrick Mwangi wrote to the Chief of Staff and advisors.
Other affected staff include Administration Secretary, Secretary State functions and Chief Finance Officer.
