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Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja has finally signed the county Appropriations Bill, putting to end four months of a stalemate between the County Assembly and the Executive that ground the county operations to a halt.

It was a different atmosphere yesterday as the governor shook hands with and embraced MCAs, with whom he has been fighting over the bill. The delayed bill contains Sh5.7 billion budget estimates for the year 2019/20.

Led by Speaker Meshack Maghanga, Leader of Majority Jason Tuja and Budget and Appropriations committee chair Godwin Kilele, the Assembly assured the governor of support. 

Samboja maintained that his operation to kick out corrupt and incompetent county officials is still on, adding more will be shown the door in three phases.

He also fired a terse warning to Health and Land departments where he claimed corruption and impunity were ripe.

Sacked and replaced

“I will not sit back and watch as corrupt officers attached to Moi County Referral Hospital divert drugs meant for the poor public to private clinics and chemists. I know of a case where patients are being forced to pay more for drugs at select pharmacies as directed by medical staff at the public hopsital,” said the governor.

Samboja warned he will not spare executives who collude to hold his administration at a ransom.

Last week, the governor reorganised his administration through a mini-reshuffle that has seen several county ministers and officials sacked and replaced.

Among the fresh faces in the re-organised Cabinet is former Wundanyi MP Mwandawiro Mghanga, who is the political adviser to the governor. He has been nominated to head the Lands, Mining and Housing ministry.

Education executive Dr. Frank Mwangemi and his Public works counterpart Houghton Mombo are among those axed in the new changes announced last week.