Afrigather 5 months after the Kenyan authorities directed state companies to audit their staff’ {qualifications}, the cash-strapped Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) fired over 20 employees with pretend tutorial papers.
John Tonui, postmaster common, advised TechCabal that the company despatched the educational {qualifications} of staff to the Kenya Nationwide Examination Council (KNEC) and the Kenya Nationwide {Qualifications} Authority (KNQA) for verification. Tonui mentioned the train has not ended and will weed out extra individuals who falsified paperwork to get jobs.
This comes because the company readies a turnaround plan that can see it lay off over 500 employees because it rejigs its workforce to spend money on new areas like e-commerce and cargo clearance. The ICT ministry-backed plan was permitted by the corporate’s board in December 2023.
“The directive got here from the Public Service Fee (PSC) and out of 780 tutorial papers we submitted for verification, these of 29 staff turned out to be pretend,” John Tonui, postmaster common advised TechCabal.
The postal service is amongst 50 state companies scuffling with a bloated wage invoice, and have been unable to activate revenue. Whereas Tonui agreed that the clamp down on pretend levels is just not a part of the restructuring, he admitted that it could assist the company obtain a few of its restructuring targets. As a part of the plan, PCK will cut back its headcount from 2,364 to 1,860.
“The intention all result in the identical objective of getting a lean company that’s worthwhile and engaging to traders. We’re working to show round Posta to make sure it delivers environment friendly last-mile connectivity,” Tonui mentioned.
PCK’s enterprise mannequin took a beating after folks ditched sending letters and new entrants like bus firms took over the courier enterprise. In line with authorities disclosure, the postal service has gathered $45.9 million (KES6 billion) in losses over the previous decade.
To remain afloat, the federal government has handed the corporate contracts to offer last-mile supply of medical provides and passports. It additionally has an settlement with the Impartial Electoral and Boundaries Fee (IEBC).
Efforts by the ICT ministry to rework the company into an e-commerce and logistics service supplier have hit quite a few roadblocks together with authorities paperwork, opposition from employees unions, and a tricky working atmosphere that has seen established non-public gamers shut down.
