A verbal war has erupted again between Vihiga governor Dr Wilber Otichillo and his deputy Dr Patrick Saisi only one month after ODM leader Raila Odinga reportedly bro- kered a truce.

Yesterday Saisi claimed he had gone for two months without pay; is treated like a stranger in the county government and shut out of all government communications and operations.

Otichillo and Saisi who were elected on an ODM ticket in the 2017 election have not been on good terms since last year with the Governor at one time accusing his deputy of being a mole leaking crucial govern- ment secrets to outsiders.

“I was removed from the county executive WhatsApp group where cabinet communicates with the governor and deputy governor,” he claimed in a phone interview, adding he had been cut out of all correspondence from the executive.

The county treasury, said had also deliberately withheld his July and August salary without reason.

“I don’t access any government communi- cation and no correspondences are copied to me as the principal assis- tant to the governor” He claimed all county workers had received the July and August salary last week.

“I checked my account balance on Monday and it was not credited. I am still waiting but I feel this is a plot to stifle my plans to prepare for the burial rights for my late wife. This is barbaric,” he said.

Reached on phone for comment over this latest spat, Ottichilo did not answer our calls The county director of communication Victor Wetende however claimed Saisi’s salary payment was up to date.

“Why should his salary be with- held?” “I have checked with finance and records show he has been paid for the two months he claims to not have received salary,” Wetende charged.

He denied that the deputy gov- ernor was not removed from the county executive WhatsApp group and explained that the group was dis- banded to allow official flow of government communications.

“Anything otherwise is malicious and frivolous thank you,” said Wetende Raila brokered a truce between the two leaders during the burial of Saisi’s late wife two months ago