Human Resource Management
(HRM) at Sub-National Level:
Constraints and Contradictions in
Kenyan Counties
BY
OSCAR M. OTELE
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION
Introduction
 HRM
covers specific activities: recruitment and
selection, training, promotion, performance appraisal
and compensation, transfer and posting, and discipline
and grievances.
 The success of public organizations in realizing their
missions and visions depend on having the right persons
with required knowledge, skills, abilities and experience
(Siddiquee 2003).
 Devolution is one of the dimensions of decentralization
and it entails transfer of political, fiscal and
administrative power and authority from the center to
semi-autonomous units.
Continued…
 The relationship between HRM and devolution lies in the type of
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HRM systems found at local/sub-national level: Integrated,
separate and unified (Olowu & Wunsch, 2004; Mawhood, 1983).
This article examined constraints and contradictions in the
context of strategic HRM.
HRM in the 47 counties operates within the constitutional and
legal framework (Chapter 11 & Fourth Schedule of the 2010
Constitution, County Government Act of 2012).
The Act establishes County Public Service Board (CPSB) the
central personnel agency.
Therefore the performance of county functions to a large extent
depends on the extent to which CPBS gets the right persons.
Background to the Problem
 Generally public organizations should embrace principles of Weberian
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model of bureaucracy such as meritocracy, division of labour and
specialization.
However, in reality political, legal and financial challenges continue to
militate against implementation of strategic HRM.
This variance has attracted scholarly interests in developing countries.
Despite this research on HRM in developing countries is largely
underdeveloped, with notable exception(Budhwar & Debrah, 2004;
Kamoche, 2004).
Since 1994 World Bank and other donor agencies have spent considerable
financial resources on public sector reforms with emphasis on
decentralization, yet there has been little systematic study on the
relationship between HRM and decentralization.
Knowledge on the relationship between HRM and decentralization in
Africa is particularly sparse, yet the framework continues to be adopted by
several African countries as a solution to administrative inefficiency.
Scholars are now responding to this knowledge gap (Phirinyane, 2009).
Theoretical Perspectives
 Contingency model, resource-based view model, path
dependency theory with input from Kamoche (2001), &
Jackson & Schuler (1999).
 The contingency model avers that organization’s HR
practices thrive within its unique “culture, structure,
history and traditions, and technology” (Dolan et al.
2005). Mismatch between HR strategy, and eternal &
internal environment is likely to reduce the
organization’s performance (Dolan et al.2005).
 Although this model postulates a link between individual
goals to organizational goals, however, how this is
achieved is not shown.
Continued…
 Resource-based view model highlights the importance of
internal factors as offering competitive advantage for
organization’s success (Wright & McMahan, 1992).
Organization should be able to identify “heterogeneous
and immobile” (Phirinyane, 2009:48) resources that
create sustainable comparative advantage.
 Path dependency theory emphasizes on the “unique
historical circumstances that give leeway to some factors
that influence organization’s performance”
(Barney,1991). The theory is helpful in disaggregating key
factors such as “initial forces, contingency, timing and
sequencing, and incrementalism within…political
context” (Phirinyane 2009:68).
 It overlooks how the policy and institutions change
Continued…
 Kamoche’s Process approach shows how national and
contextual factors influence HRM policy, practices and
outcomes.
 Jackson & Schuler’s framework demonstrates how the
external environment has a bearing on the internal
environment comprising of technology, size, structure
and strategy.
 This has implication on the kind of choice made and their
influence on HRM and organizational performance.
 As an integrated theoretical framework both aspects of
strategy formulation and strategy implementation are
considered.
Methodology
 A sample of 30 out of 376 members of CPSB in 47
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counties was interviewed.
A full list of members of CPSB with their telephone
numbers and email addresses was obtained from
CIC.
Random sampling technique was used to select
respondents.
A structured interview schedule guided the
interview.
By the end of the interview the researcher had
managed to collect data from 12 counties.
Results and Analysis
 External Environment
 In some counties, national government institutions are seen as the
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main threat to the HRM.
Although Transitional Authority (TA) facilitated transfer of
employees from former Local Authorities, it placed some employees
in sensitive positions without following due process.
Interference from the cultural groups like council of elders who
indirectly influence who is to be employed in the county. “Our own
graduates have to be employed in the county is common in the
counties”.
Socio-cultural stereotypes continue to affect attainment of one-third
gender rule and adherence to ethnic diversity.
Opinion is divided whether the national government guarantee
autonomy. In some counties there is a feeling that national
government does not guarantee autonomy to the county
government especially on financial matters.
Continued…
 In terms of labour, there is acute shortage of skilled labour in majorities
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of sampled counties. Majorities of job applicants are holders of social
sciences or general science degrees. There is lack of technical skills and
professional skills.
There is still competition from private sectors and NGOs. Some
experienced applicants are turned away by the little salaries on offer.
Internal Environment
Strengths: Inherited structures (e.g. experienced staff )from the defunct
local authorities. A few boast of educational record and experience, zero
interference from the office of the governors.
Weakness: Problem of putting in place the organizational structures as
required by the constitution; inadequate funding and late disbursement
of the funds from the national treasury; interference from MCAs,
CPSBs are running a payroll without a clear HRM policy, struggle over
control of key resources, budget ceiling, lack of visionary leadership in
the country.
Human Resource Practices
 Recruitment and Selection
 In most counties, CPSBs advertise the vacancies in one of the
leading newspapers. Candidates are then shortlisted and
interviewed. The CPSBs the prepare the list of successful
candidates in order of merit but subject to quota system. The
list of the CPSB is then sent to the relevant department with
recommendation for appointment.
 However, the quota system as required by the law has
compromised quality and merit.
 The recruitment process is highly subjective based on the
judgment of the panelists on the day of interview. Some
respondents noted that the recruitment exercise does not
afford the panelists an opportunity to assess analytical
capacity, intelligence and readiness of the candidates seeking
for employment.
Continued…
 Training
 Some counties have prioritized training through several
institutional arrangements, e.g. through partnership with Kenya
School of Government and The Center for Parliamentary Studies
 Some counties have entered into arrangement with some
universities.
 In majorities of the counties, training is managed by a technical
committee comprising of all members of CPBS, Heads of
Departments and County Secretary.
 Weakness: Training programs conducted without proper
assessment of the training needs in the counties. Those who attend
training are selected haphazardly. Curriculum is outdated and
determined by the institutions and ability of the trainers to interact
with trainees, lectures with assignments are the most frequently
used methods. Case studies are rarely used. Training kits are
prepared without inputs of the needs of various counties.
Promotion
 Governed by Section 70 of the County Government Act.
 The HoDs send the names of candidates eligible for
promotion to CPSB.
 However, majority of respondents cited skewed criteria for
promotion which make employment in several counties
unattractive. There is a growing perception that county public
service is a dumping ground for those not keen on career
advancement.
 One respondent observed that were it not for bureaucratic
hurdles associated with promotion in the county, promotion
process could be used as a strategy to reward performance in
the counties.
 In some counties the criterion used is merit-cum-seniority.
Performance Management
 In sampled counties there are no systems of routine evaluation of
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the performance of county employees.
In some counties HODs have designed their own tools of
evaluation. The process is conducted by someone who is senior
than the employee being evaluated- Subjective, perceived as
ritualistic.
Those that have attempted, this system has reported several
contradictions which complicate county government decisions
regarding promotion, training and rewards.
In some counties, members raised need for performance
appraisal tools, at the same fear raised that such tools could be
used to victimize some employees:- Likely to shield
underperformance in many departments.
Other suggested that performance management should be left
within the view of independent firms.
Conclusions and Implications
 Political, socio-cultural and economic factors as the main threats in the external
environment, limitation in constitutional and legal framework, and inadequate
financial resources as the main weaknesses in the internal environment. These
threats and weaknesses constrain the ability of the CPBS from getting the right
persons in the counties so that efficiency in service delivery can be realized.
 Internally, practical operation of HRM suffers from a host of anomalies and
contradictions.
 Interrogating these findings further one may conclude that county governments
have devolved traditional practice found in the mainstream civil service. Unless
the county government divorce themselves from these practices then the
objects of devolution would not be achieved.
 Moving forward county government should prioritize merit as the principle of
recruitment and selection. By implication the quota system should be abolished
gradually. Training methods should be improved and CPSB should develop
appropriate promotion system that would be able to assess performance of the
county employees. Finally, despite variation in socio-economic and political
systems, Kenya counties may possibly look at success stories in countries such
as United States, South Africa and India.