Rigged interviews at Vihiga County - a personal case.

It is unfortunate when interests for who gets job arise from the employees.

I was dead sure I would get this job. So I am forced to think back, see the misses and the lies now that I was swept under. And to write for record purposes – my grandson would be interested in the dynamics of my fading youthhood.

With many missed job chances due to ‘competition’, I had assumed this was the time. A cultural enthusiast, academically tick. Passionate with community libraries. What would make me not perform as a cultural officer (to be more competitive I had been advised for “officer” and not a higher “assistant director” that I best fitted) in the Culture and Library Services Department, Vihiga County?

Jobs I have applied for National Government and missed out on shortlisting... save for the internship which I managed to work for Civil Registration department.

I lobby by informing the members of county assembly whom I am acquainted to. They reiterate I am indeed cultural in word and act. It is said they do pull strings. I visit cultural men and stakeholders and tell them of the impending opportunity. Others tell me I need to inform the governor himself on this; but why when I am the President for Young Cultural Champions IKDoDi programme? I can defend myself. 

I therefore wake up to the day of the interview, check my documents well and pay a few thousands to cyber guy who got me the infamous and expensive for nothing chapter 6 documents. They can drop you for flimsy reason those panels, prepare adequately.

Of the 14 listed for the day, four did not show up. 14 more had been interviewed prior. A total of 28 for 2 positions. We may have applied 200 or so? And 28 all good for 2 positions? Did someone on the queue say showing up gives you more experience with the interviewing panel? Yuck!

I enter the slaughterhouse. Four women sit. They follow a script – reading questions. It is a hurry game. When I was at the bench I never liked the time it took for one. Can’t it be just a short session? Yet questions are academic – name five indigenous trees and their significance. Artefacts? Cultural Practices? Libraries? Next…

I get very confident along, pointing to my dressing as cultural as discussed by council of elders whom I am a rapporteur to. This is one way of promoting culture and tourism locally – identifying cultural and county dresses, branding and creating value at traditional sites, advocacy for indigenous knowledge, documentation of it etc – things that I have been doing. I only get cut short from explaining more.

I cannot tell if they are motherly or nasty feminists. I submit to their flying tones with milds; “pardon”. How many panelists (by gender too) should be there for a public office interview? What if the four needed to vote? I am just saying, a small sub-county cultural officer opening cannot have retirees all gathering to interview starters - maybe. Not in a county where culture and tourism collects no shilling! 

The son of soil therefore bows at leave as he bowed at enter. Before that he apologizes for what happened at start. 

At start I had sat in a position the chairperson thought uncomfy for me. I have this habit of leaning forward while speaking to someone. When she refrained I was uncomfy I did a swirl and she reminded me to be serious, young man. So I apologized that it was my way of finding (showing?) comfort. They chuckled it was not an issue, I had not wronged.

Her tone of “this is a competitive exercise…” to me was like “your mere passion and education needs more to it”. What more but to have those who can pull strings pull for you? Closing the door behind me may have left us all chuckling: me to a best session it was and they to a ‘not what we are looking for!’. I did not tempt any with any monies as is the case from desperate job seekers.

I do not get a message of regret or emailed how I performed. You realize, after some silent ‘cook’ days, it was over and you serve as statistics in the larger working of capitalism. I become a mole and find out that the lady who came in late and last was given questions to prepare. That if you asked for interview performance reviews, you will be told you were beaten by a girl, boy.

All admitted cultural officers (they are 3 and not 2; someone using the chance to throw his daughter in the system - who wasn't even shortlisted for interview) are associated within, hardly acquainted with the said department. But they can learn at job, said a bipolar civil servant, can’t they? Or, if opportunities arise in county they can switch to their ‘trained areas’. Legal ghost workers. What is culture to them again? If not a paternalistic bandwagon that they now have opportunity to suppress!

I get at ease after a disappointment that lasted only a day. I do not know why the satisfaction. That public service is crafty or here is a chance to rediscover myself and keep delving in my passions instead of needing to get involved where I am not needed? Or the empty realization that a stolen village drum must remain unbeaten. 

But it will be hard for me as gods will privately [private sector] need to hear drumming! For culture and cultural programs must be live.