Governors take offices with baskets of pledges
Governors yesterday reported to their respective county offices with gusto, warning that it would not be business as usual.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja yesterday announced that the role of revenue collection has been reverted to City Hall.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services has been managing the revenue collection since March 2020. Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) took over the role with officers being given full and unlimited access to county revenue processes, information data and systems.
Meeting targets
Speaking during his inaugural address at City Hall yesterday, Governor Sakaja, accompanied by his deputy Joe Muchiri, said KRA will henceforth cease and its responsibilities executed by officers under the ticketing department.
Move to strip off KRA the role, according to Sakaja, was informed by the fact that the taxman was not meeting the set targets previously attained by county officials.
Sakaja also ordered that all motorbikes impounded by the county government be released and given back to their owners.
He also banned handcart pushers within the CBD. “I immediately order for the release of impounded motorcycles; we are going to train boda boda operators on how to follow and obey traffic rules,” he said.
He promised to ensure order is restored at City Hall to ensure adequate service delivery.
Under his administration, Sakaja reckoned, that hawkers willconduct their business in designated zones and that they will not be obstructing licensed traders in the central business district.
Surprise visit
On salary delay, county chief pledged to ensure the 13,000 employees get their pay by 30th every month, noting that the issue of pay delay on claims of funds being diverted to other purposes will be a thing of the past.
His Turkana counterpart, Jeremiah Lomorukai, was last night on a surprise visit to Lodwar Referral and County Hospital where he came face-to-face with the dilapidated situation of the facility. “It was shameful to find every ward stinky with patients sharing beds and many lying on the floor,” Lomorukai lamented.
He has, however, promised that his administration will streamline human resources by getting specialists doctors and nurses, adequate medical equipment as well as clear arrears owed to cleaning services firms that had not been paid.
“Plans to meet all heads of departments to discuss the need for an emergency programme to set up the referral hospital and making own requisition for supplies are underway,” he said.
Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi on the other hand appealed to employees to share his vision so that as a team they can achieve and actualise the dreams. “We shall work together to serve our people by providing professionalised, uninterrupted service delivery because we have a new way forward to undertake development for our people,” he said. As promised during the campaigns, that #JiirCaato administration, will be providing quality health care services, yesterday he flagged off ambulances that will attend to emergency medical cases.
“Our intention is to revive the Wajir County Referral Hospital and all the other health facilities to ensure they are equipped with drugs to offer better quality healthcare,” he said.
Privilege to serve
In Trans-Nzoia, Governor George Natembeya reported to his new office at exactly 7am.
“I believe and hope all county workers are going to adhere to the freshness ushered in. It is worth noting county work is not compulsory hence when given the privilege to serve, we expect utmost dedication,” Natembeya wrote on Twitter.
Later, Natembeya held a consultative meeting with Public Service Board members, led by Chairperson Peter Wamoto, where he was briefed about the well-being of staff and county progress on development.
In Kisii, Governor Simba Arati held a brief meeting with outgoing Committee Executive Members.
“We have a huge task ahead of us but together and speaking in one voice; we will deliver on the promise we made to our people, a promise of a more sensitive, accessible, and accountable government,” Simba wrote, before joining his colleagues in Kakamega where a gubernatorial by-election is underway.
In Kiambu, a similar story was shared by Governor Kimani Wamatangi, who urged the Executive of the outgoing administration to continue being in office until their contracts expired and new ones are appointed.
Wamatangi instructed them to prepare hand-over notes, including a list of assets and liabilities in their respective offices.
