Nambale MP Geoffrey Ekesa Mulanya has distanced himself from allegations linking Members of Parliament to the distribution and sale of Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employment opportunities and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruitment slots.
Mulanya said he does not personally allocate TSC jobs or determine who is recruited into the KDF, insisting that the processes are handled by the respective government institutions through established procedures.
His remarks come amid controversy sparked by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, who recently alleged that some MPs receive TSC employment letters after accompanying them to State House and subsequently sell the opportunities to desperate job seekers.
Wetang’ula claimed that some MPs receive about 10 letters and allegedly sell them for up to KSh400,000 each. The remarks have triggered questions over the role of politicians in government recruitment and whether some employment opportunities are being distributed outside established procedures.
Responding to the concerns raised in Nambale, Mulanya said it would be misleading to portray MPs as having the power to personally select beneficiaries of government jobs.
“As the Member of Parliament for Nambale, my responsibility is to represent my constituents, lobby for opportunities and ensure that our people are not left behind whenever national programmes and employment opportunities are rolled out,” Mulanya said.
He maintained that his advocacy for young people, teachers and professionals in Nambale should not be interpreted as authority to employ or recruit individuals into government institutions.
Mulanya also defended his interactions with President William Ruto, saying his meetings with the Head of State have focused on development projects in the constituency rather than distributing employment opportunities.
He cited several projects he said he had lobbied for, including the completion of the Mungatsi-Musikoma road, construction of Economic Stimulus Programme markets at Mungatsi and Nambale, and a students' hostel at Mungatsi Technical and Vocational College expected to accommodate 350 students.
The MP also pointed to the installation of street lights between Tangakona and Mugenya Guest House, continued access to subsidised fertiliser for farmers and support for the construction of a modern administration block at Nambale Boys High School.
According to Mulanya, the President has committed KSh5 million towards the KSh47 million administration block project. He further said KSh5 million had been pledged towards the purchase of a KSh19 million bus for Kisoko Girls.
Other projects highlighted by the MP include the tarmacking of the Butula-Nambale-Amukura-Kocholia road, for which he said a contractor had already been identified.
Mulanya said his focus would remain on lobbying government agencies to expand opportunities for Nambale residents while urging qualified applicants to compete on merit.
“Nambale has many capable graduates and professionals, and I will continue doing my part to ensure that they are considered whenever opportunities arise,” he said.
He called for transparency and fairness in the distribution of government opportunities, while accusing unnamed individuals of using political propaganda to create confusion around the issue.
His statement comes as scrutiny of the alleged involvement of politicians in public-sector recruitment continues, particularly amid concerns over unemployment among thousands of qualified Kenyan graduates.