Counties under pressure to fill vacant posts after exit of CECs
County governments have been asked to move swiftly and fill up positions that were left vacant after senior officials resigned in droves to pursue a political interest.
Several senior county officials quit running for different seats in the August 9 General-Election in compliance with a directive issued by Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua.
Yesterday, human rights activists based in Bungoma urged Governor Wycliffe Wangamati to appoint other people to take up the vacant positions.
Speaking yesterday, the lobby group members including Citizens for Good Governance Director Philip Wekesa and Torch Africa Director Barasa Nyukuri said services have been paralysed in the county due to a lack of substantive people to handle such posts.
“When some civil servants leave office they must be replaced immediately so that services are not paralysed. Government services should not stop because they have left office. They need to be replaced,” said Wekesa. “The governor should either elevate their deputies or pick some other people to head those positions because there is no vacuum in government,” he said.
In their resignation letters, the senior county officials indicated that they were leaving to try their luck in politics. In Nakuru, for instance, chief executives Peter Keyenya (Finance), Raymond Komen (Trade) and Dr Gichuki Kariuki (Health) left governor Lee Kinyanjui’s boardroom to contest political seats. “I am now ready to serve Kuresoi South. I will be a leader for all. We will not be biased in the distribution of resources and no wastage of National Government Constituency Development Fund,” Ketyenya said.
Komen is eyeing the Rongai seat currently held by Raymond Moi while Kariuki is going for the Molo constituency to replace Kuria Kimani. Chief Officer in charge of Resource Mobilisation Tumme Abduba is also joining politics.
Nakuru East Deputy County Commissioner Eric Wanyonyi also resigned to contest the Kabuchai MP seat.
Government services
“I will be vying for the Kabuchai seat. My people have asked me to go back and serve them in MP capacity and I have yielded that call,” said Wanyonyi.
In Machakos, long-serving Chief of Staff Mwengi Mutuse resigned after a nearly 10-year stint in the lucrative post to vie for the Kibwezi West seat held by Dr Patrick Musimba.
Mutuse, a close confidant of Governor Alfred Mutua, who was appointed in 2013 tendered his resignation alongside Health Executive Dr Ancent Kituku, who is eyeing Kangundo MP Seat y held by Fabian Muli. Others who left Mutua’s administration for elective politics are Trade CEC Lazarus Kivuva and Water Chief Officer to vie for Yatta and Masinga seats respectively. “I am very grateful for the service rendered by my officers and I am confident that they will succeed in their quests. I wish them well,” said Mutua.
In Bungoma, those who tendered their resignation to try their hands in politics include Deputy Chief of Staff Job Chelong’o, who is eyeing the Webuye East parliamentary seat, Agriculture Chief Officer John Wasike, who is seeking to contest the Webuye West MP’s seat.
Others are Lands and Emerging Issues Adviser Wakoli Bifwoli going for Bumula MP’s seat, Nancy Kibaba (Youth and Boda boda) also eyeing Woman Rep position, political advisor Leonard Mayende for East Sang’alo Ward MCA seat, Special Programmes Advisor Carolyne Buyela for Webuye East parliamentary seat and Logistics deputy Director Simiyu Mutaki.
In Nyandarua, CEC for Public Administration and ICT Murani Ngugi also resigned to run for Kinangop seat.
In a statement, Murani said he informed Governor Francis Kimemia of his decision to leave the County job.
In Nyamira, Nyambega Gisesa resigned as Deputy Director Governor’s Press to vie for MCA Rigoma Ward in Kitutu Masaba constituency while in Kisii, Mainga Ondiba resigned as Youth, Sports and Gender CEC to run for Kisii Senator.
Kisumu Director of Education Isaac Atebe has also resigned to contest for the North Mugirango parliamentary seat.
Also, Nyamira Assembly legal advisor Jared Sagwe resigned to contest for the Senate seat.
Sagwe joins other contestants: former Senator Kennedy Mongare, Nyambega Mose, Adams Mochenu to try to unseat incumbent Okong’o Omogeni. In Vihiga, Paul Mbuni resigned as CEC Lands to join politics.
