Here’s why Hilda Kaaria is on the spot for insubordination of Housing PS, Transport CS Macharia

Head of Supply Chain Services at the State Department of Housing is now a marked woman after, her colleagues accusing her of in-subordinating her seniors.



Ms Hilda Kaaria, who is also facing the wrath of merchants and suppliers for what they term as favoritism in processing payments and massive corruption, is now in the bad books of Principal Secretary Charles Hinga and Cabinet Secretary James Macharia over a news report published in one of the local dailies.



In the news article, she is quoted as giving official statements regarding a “plan to enable SMEs gain more from housing project”, a policy function whose “announcement is a preserve of the Cs or by delegation, the PS”.







A source at the ministry has told Kurunzi how the powers that be at the CSs office have protested to the National Treasury over her conduct in a bid to have her recalled.



“Those who understand public service have been so angry with her over that story in the Business Daily,” the source said.



“It has never happened that an officer at her level would make such comments and be quoted in the media and that is unacceptable when it comes to government protocol.



“It is a very serious matter and the office of the CS has been asking how that even came to be but it is out of her own incompetence and lack of respect. Her role is administrative and can never be what she has done.



“The issues she has been talking about in the media are matters of policy which can only be handled by the CS himself or the PS. Never her.”



Kurunzi covered the story of how she is frustrating suppliers and only processing documents of those who giver her kickbacks equivalent to 10% of the total tender value and using companies associated with her for all direct sourcing, especially for tenders of KSh1 million or less.



Some of her colleagues have accused her of frustrating user departments whenever they make requests for procurement for goods or services that “she does not have interest”.