The rejection of two County Executive Committee members (CECs) and County Secretary nominees by the Kericho County Assembly has sparked a sharp rift among members.

A section of the MCAS has accused the governor, Erick Mutai, and the Speaker, Patrick Mutai, of allegedly not following the law and trying to bulldoze so as to have their way on the nominations.

Mutai had nominated Dr Wesely Bor as the Country Secretary nominee, and Lawrence Bii (Education CEC) and Bernard Bii (Trade CEC) — and forwarded their names to the Assembly for vetting. However, the vetting committee rejected them on grounds that they were not eligible for the posts. The report also questioned how they were selected.

Vetting process

One side of the MCAS accused the Speaker of allegedly bulldozing in a bid to condemn the nominees to oblivion without allowing them to debate the vetting committee report and subsequently vote on the same.

They claimed the Speaker rushed to rule that the nominees were not eligible for the positions as it was passed by the vetting committee, a move that angered some MCAs who wanted intense deliberations on the matter on the floor of the House and subsequently voting to determine their fate.

Some of the MCAS claimed the vetting process was not fair to some nominees arguing that they should have been given time by the Speaker to discuss the same so as to voice their opinions.

During the deliberations at the assembly after Kapsoit Ward, MCA Paul Chirchir had moved the motion on the vetting report on Wednesday, the Speaker allegedly endorsed the report by the vetting committee but a section of the members opposed that saying they should have been allowed to deliberate on the same and possibly vote first before the ruling.

Governor Mutai had picked 10 CECS nominees and the County Secretary nominee and forwarded their names to the Assembly for vetting. On Wednesday the Assembly approved eight CECS and rejected the two-plus County Secretary nominee.

In Vihiga, the County Assembly’s Committee on Appointment chaired by Assembly Speaker Christopher Omulele yesterday refused to vet County Executive Committee member (CEC) nominee, Mercy Adema Lugaliki, for failing to present her academic papers.

Adema, from Sabatia sub-county, was nominated by governor Wilber Ottichilo to head the ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Co-operatives. She presented herself for vetting but when she was asked to produce her degree, she failed to comply.

County Assembly Clerk Ambaka Kilinga confirmed that the nominee did not have the degree, which was one of the mandatory requirements.

Academic papers

He, however, said that the committee successfully vetted other CEC nominees and they will table the report in the assembly on Tuesday next week for approval.

And in Nyandarua County, the swearing-in ceremony for CEC members slated for today was hurriedly conducted on Wednesday evening presumably to avoid court action.

The media learnt that Kenneth Njuguna Njohi, a resident, intended to go to court to stop the ceremony, citing non-consideration of an affidavit he presented to the assembly.

Njohi had challenged the authenticity of academic papers presented by CEC Stephen Kinyanjui Mburu, alleging that they were fake.

“I noticed that the Assembly took the petition casually, so I contemplated going to court to seek orders to stop the swearing but later changed my mind. I believe that is why the ceremony was done in haste and goons stationed at the gate to keep me and other residents away,” Njohi said.

Njohi had also challenged the nomination of Samuel Wachira (Water) claiming that he was adversely mentioned in reports on the double allocation of plots in Ol Kalou Municipality.

  The residents have poked holes in the ceremony presided over by Nyahururu Chief Magistrate Patricia Gichohi that was concluded shortly before 5 pm Wednesday.

 County Attorney Joseph Gatore Shadrack, who came last, swore to serve in the “office of the executive member of Nyandarua County” without specifying his position.

  “The CEC nominees lined up to take the oath first and do the signing of their documents later,” said George Mwangi who witnessed the ceremony that was attended by a handful of members of the public unlike before.

The Director of Governor Press Service (GPS) Mbugua Muchoki defended the move claiming “Governor Moses Badalisha has an important appointment on Friday.”

Swearing in of CECs has been a big ceremony during the past two governors’ reigns.

– Additional reporting by KNA