Simba Arati, the governor of Kisii County, met with all the drivers on Thursday, July 1, after it was discovered that they had more vehicles than there were available in the county.
Arati had requested a head count after expressing surprise that the county government had 82 vehicles but 256 drivers on the payroll.
Arati was shown in a social media video questioning drivers who were absent from their vehicles how long they had been absent and why. Then Arati called out one Ong’era and inquired about his car.
“Give him a microphone,” the boss ordered.
The governor inquired about the vehicle’s license plates, but the nervous man was barely audible, with Arati severally urging him to put the microphone closer to his mouth.
Ong’era could not give a straight answer, prompting Arati to ask whether he knew how to drive.
He responded in the affirmative, and the politician instructed another driver to give him the keys to his vehicle.
“I want you to start a vehicle and drive it with someone supervising.”
When the man got to where the cars were, he seemed hesitant, prompting Arati to inquire whether he drove a manual or automatic.
The man admitted that he did not know how to drive a car.
“So you told me you have not driven your vehicle for a month but accepted that you don’t know how to drive yet you earn salary,” wondered Arati.
The man said he was employed in September 2020 but was never assigned a vehicle. Arati then put the chair of the service board on the spot.
“I am told he is not alone. There is a driver working for Nation Media Group yet he earns money from the county. Everybody will carry their cross.”
However, Ong’era later produced a driver’s license.
