Section 59(1) of the County Governments Act, 2012 sets out the functions of a County Public Service Board. Each function is explained below in plain language.
| Statutory function (s.59(1)) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| (a) Establish and abolish offices in the county public service | Approves the county's staff establishment (the number and types of positions needed to deliver services) and abolishes positions that are no longer required, guided by workload analysis and budget. |
| (b) Appoint persons to hold or act in offices and confirm appointments | Advertises vacancies, shortlists, interviews and appoints candidates on merit; approves acting appointments; confirms officers in employment after probation. |
| (c) Exercise disciplinary control over and remove persons holding or acting in offices | Handles disciplinary cases in line with the law, the rules of natural justice and the Fair Administrative Action Act, 2015, including warnings, surcharges, interdiction, suspension and dismissal where warranted. |
| (d) Prepare regular reports for submission to the County Assembly | Accounts to the County Assembly on how it has executed its functions. |
| (e) Promote the values and principles in Articles 10 and 232 | Sensitises officers and leaders on national values and the values and principles of public service, and embeds them in HR policies. |
| (f) Evaluate and report to the County Assembly on compliance with those values and principles | Assesses the extent to which the county public service complies with Articles 10 and 232 and reports annually. |
| (g) Facilitate coherent, integrated human resource planning and budgeting for personnel emoluments | Works with county treasuries on workforce planning to keep personnel costs affordable and aligned to service priorities. |
| (h) Advise the county government on human resource management and development | Provides policy advice on training, career progression, succession, welfare and HR systems. |
| (i) Advise the county government on the national performance management system | Supports implementation and monitoring of performance contracting and staff performance appraisal. |
| (j) Make recommendations to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission | Recommends, on behalf of the county government, matters relating to remuneration, pensions and gratuities for county public officers. |
Related obligations under the County Governments Act
- Appointment considerations: in making appointments, Boards must consider standards of competence and integrity, fair competition and merit, representation of Kenya's diverse communities, and equal opportunity for men and women, persons with disabilities and minorities. The Act also requires that at least thirty per cent of vacant posts at entry level be filled by candidates who are not from the dominant ethnic community in the county (s.65(1)(e)).
- Appeals: a county public officer dissatisfied with a decision of a Board may appeal to the Public Service Commission (Article 234(2)(i) and section 77 of the Act), and may also seek redress in the Employment and Labour Relations Court.