County Public Service Boards are finding themselves caught between a rock an d a hard place, owing to competing personal and political interests.
Many boards are enmeshed in an intricate web of personal interests and political arm-twisting by Governors, Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) and any other county politicians, even as they are required to observe the law.
These politicians are mainly interested in controlling the organization, staffing and functioning of workers at the county level-an exclusive function of the county boards.
“The issue has been problematic. Some boards are just hiring without following the human resource
procedures and paying little attention to the wage bill problem, which is undermining economic development, “said Public Service Commission Chairperson Margaret Kobia.
Each of the 47 countries has public service board whose members are appointed by governors, with the approval of country assemblies. Clause 58 of The County Governments Act, 2012, provides that the membership of the board is comprised of a chairperson, at least three, and no more than five, other members and a certified public secretary who is the secretary to the board.
The boards according to clause 59 of the Act, are required to establish, fill and abolish offices in the county public service, advise the county government on human resource management and development, and make recommendations to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission on the remuneration, pensions and gratuities for county public service employees.
In addition, the boards, like the national government equivalent –public service commission-have powers to discipline county public servants.
While the Act is clear on their role on recruitment of county staff, Sunday Nation established that some boards have been reduced to rubberstamps for governors and county executives, who Handpick staff.
In such cases ,the governors merely forward the names of their appointees to the boards to regularize and include them in the county government payroll, something Prof. Kobia said should never happen in a professionally run board.

(a) Why are county public service boards finding themselves in difficulties according to the first paragraph.(2 marks)
(b) What does the writer mean by the expression ‘between rock and a hard place’ (2 marks)
(c) According to clause 59 of the County Government Act 2012, make notes on the duties of the county Public
Service Boards. (6 marks)
(d) In what ways are the rules of recruitment of county staff flouted? (2 marks)
(e) The issue has been problematic. (Rewrite adding a question tag) (1 mark)
(f) What is the writers’s attitude towards the County Public Service Board? (3 marks)
(g) Explain the meaning of the following words and phrases as used in the passage (4 marks)
(i) Enmeshed
(ii) Arm-twisting
(iii)Procedures
(iv) Handpick

The NEPHEW takes the chair.The IRONSHIRTS and the FAT PRINCE sit on the steps.Enter
AZDAK,mimicking the agit of the Grand Duke.
AZDAK(in the Grand Duke’s accent):Is any here knows me?Am Grand Duke.
IRONSHIRTS:
- What is he?
- The Grand Duke.He knows him,too.
- Fine.So get on with the trial.
AZDAK:Listen!Am accused instigating war?Ridiculuos!Am saying ridiculous!That enough?If not,have brought lawyers.Believe five hundred.(He points behind him,pretending to be surrounded by lawyers.)Requistion all available seat for lawyers!(The IRONSHIRTS laugh:the FAT PRINCE joins in.)

NEPHEW:(to the IRONSHIRTS):You really wish me to try this case?I find it rather unusual.From the taste angle,I
mean.
FIRST IRONSHIRT:Let’s go!
FAT PRINCE(smiling):Let him have it,my little fox!
NEPHEW:All right.People of Grusinia versus Grand Duke.Defendant,what have you got to say for yourself?
AZDAK:Plenty.Naturally have read war lost.Only started on the advise of patriots.Like uncle Arsen
Kazbeki call Uncle Arsen as witness.
FAT PRINCE(To the IRONSHIRTS,delightedly):What a madcap!
NEPHEW:Motion rejected.One cannot be arraigned for declaring war,which every ruler has to do
once in a while,but only for running a war badly.
AZDAK:Rubbish!Did not turn it at all!Had it run!Had it run by princes!Naturally,they messed it up.
NEPHEW:So you by any chance deny having been commander-in-chief?
AZDAK:Not at all!Always was commander-in chief.At birth shouted at wet nurse.Was trained drop turds in
toilet,grew accustomed to command.Always commanded officials rob my cash box.Officers flog soldiers only
command.Land-owners sleep with peasant’s wives only on strictest command.
Uncle Arsen here grew his belly at my command!
IRONSHIRTS(Clapping):He’s good!Long live the Grand Duke!
FAT PRINCE:Answer him,my little fox:I’am with you.
NEPHEW:I shall answer him according to the dignity of the law.Defendant,preserve the dignity of the Law!
AZDAK:Agreed.Command you proceed with trial!
NEPHEW:It is not your place to command me.You claim that the Princes forced you to declare war. How can
you claim then ,that they-er-“messed it up”?
AZDAK:Did not send enough people.Embezzled funds.Sent sick horses.During attack,drinking in
whorehouse.Call Uncle Arsen as witness.
NEPHEW:Are you making the outrageous suggestion that the princes of this country did not fight?
AZDAK:No princes fought.Fought for war contractys.
FAT PRINCE(jumping up):That’s too much!This man talks like a carpet weaver!
AZDAK:Really?Told nothing but truth.
FAT PRINCE:Hang him!Hang him!
FIRST IRONSHIRT(pulling the PRINCE down):Keep quiet!
Go on,Excellency!
NEPHEW:Quiet!I now render a verdict:You must be hanged!By the neck!Having lost war!
AZDAK:Young man,seriously advise not fall publicly into jerky clipped speech.Cannot be watchdog if Howl like
wolf.Got it?If people realize Princes speak same language as Grand Duke,may hang
Grand Duke and princes,huh?By the way,must overrule verdict.Reason?War lost,but not for
Princes.Princes won their war.Got 3,863,000 piasters for horses not delivered,8,240,000 piasters for food
supplies not produced.Are therefore victors.War lost only for Grusinia,which is not present in this court.
FAT PRINCE:I think that will do,my friends(To AZDAK:)You can withdraw,funny man.(To the
IRONSHIRTS:)you may now ratify the new judge’s appointment,my friends.
(a) Under what circumstances is the Fat prince’s nephew taking the chair? (3 marks)
(b) Identify and illustrate the character traits of the Fat OPrince as brought out in this excerpt. (4 marks)
(c) Highlight any two thematic concerns in the excerpt. (4 marks)
(d) And Azdak was made a judge by the Ironshirts. (Rewrite the sentences in the active form) (1 mark)
(e) Comment on the use of imagery in the excerpt. (4 marks)
(f) I shall answer him according to the dignity of the law. (Change into an interrogative) (1 mark)
(g) What is ironical about the judgment passed by Azdak? (6 marks)
(h) Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage. (2 marks)
i. Ratify
ii. Rasca

THE VILLAGE WELL.
By this well,
Where fresh waters still quietly whisper
As when I
First accompanied Mother and filled my baby gourd,
By this well,
Where many an evening its clean water cleaned me;

The silent Well
Dreaded haunt of the long haired Musambwa,
Who basked,
In the mid-day sun reclining on the rock
Where I now sit 10
Welling up with many poignant memories.

This spot,
Which was rung with the purity of a child laughter;
This spot,
Where eye spoke secretly to responding eye;
This spot,
Where hearts pounded madly in many a breast;

By this well,
Over-hung by leafy branches of sheltering trees
I first noticed her. 20
I saw her in the cool of a red , red evening.
I saw her
As if I had not seen her in a thousand times before.

By this well 25
My eyes asked for love, and my heart went mad.
I stuttered
And murmured my first words of love
And cupped,
With my hands, the intoxication that were her breasts 30

In this well
In the clear waters of this whispering well,
The silent moon
Witnessed with a smile our inviolate vows,
The kisses 35
That left us weak and breathless

It is dark
It is dark by the well that still whispers
It is darker.
It is utter darkness in the heart that bleeds 40
By this well.
Where magic has evaporated but memories linger.

Of damp death
The rotting foliage reeks
And branches
Are grotesque talons of hungry vultures? 45
For she is dead
The one I first loved by this well.

By Henry Barlow
a) What is the message of the poem? 3marks
b) Who is the persona in this poem. 2marks
c) Describe the mood change in this poem. 4marks
d) Comment on any two stylistic devices used in this poem. 6marks
e) How effectively as the image of darkness been used in the poem? 2marks
f) Explain the meaning of the following lines as used in the poem. 3marks

i) Welling up with many poignant memories
ii) Eye spoke secretly to responding eye
iii) Where magic has evaporated but memories linger

Rewrite the following sentences according to instructions given after each.
i) You will not take this book under any circumstances.(Begin ; Under ……..)
ii) Were it not for their laziness, they would have done quite well.(Begin; But ….)
iii) Who stole Jane’s book? (Rewrite in the passive voice)

Use the correct form of the word in the bracket to fill each blank space
i) The girl’s ……………………………………………….. (gay) endeared her to marry a young man.
ii) His …………………………………………………….. (efficient) caused him his job.
iii) The …………………………………………………. (management) of the company led to its closure.

Complete the following sentences using words that have the same meaning as the underlined phrasal verb.
i) The taxi pulled up at the gate.
ii) The chairperson called off the meeting.
iii) The principal said that he could not put up with hooligans in the school.

Fill in the blank spaces in the following sentences with the correct alternative.
i) It was quite late. There were …………………………… (few/ a few)people at the market.
ii) There is ………………………………………… tea in the thermos flask so you can take some (little/a little)
iii) You will …………………………… (loose / lose ) all your friends if you are not careful.

Give the meaning of the following idioms as used in sentences below.
i) Jane, a high school girl has a burn in the oven.
ii) After the results were announced, she was in the ninth heaven.
iii) John’s school provides eggs to students once in a blue moon.