Virus: Kiambu Governor Nyoro seeks fast vetting of CECs
Kiambu Governor James Nyoro has been running his government without a Cabinet and a Public Service Board for the past two months.
This is because the County Assembly went on recess before approving his nominees with reliable sources intimating that the delay was occasioned by alleged demand of bribes by a section of the civic leaders for the nominees to be given a clean bill of health during vetting.
Nyoro yesterday said employment of extra medical professionals in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta might face hiccups since his administration is operating without a Public Service Board (PSB) which is constitutionally mandated to hire workers.
“We don’t have a CPSB but we are moving on under the advisory of the Attorney General’s office lest we flout the law and hence most operations at the county are going on without hitches,” he said.
However, he prevailed upon the county Leader of Majority Gideon Gachara to consider writing to the Speaker Stephen Ndicho and request a special sitting so that members can debate on various issues relating to mitigating the effects of Covid-19.
“I beseech them to meet and pass a resolution to supplement the emergency and disaster response funds allocation on efforts to mitigate the spread of the killer disease,” he told the media at the county headquarters yesterday.
The county boss also said that it would be prudent for MCAs to pass resolutions to equip all dispensaries and health centres with the requisite equipment and protective gear as well as train and equip all community health volunteers on the necessary precautionary measures for Covid-19.
He added that there is an urgent need to debate and rectify the county public service board to enable the county to comply with the presidential directive on hiring of more health workers to enhance the county’s pandemic response capacity.
The governor noted that despite the fact that his office was seeking legal advice from the AG, the Assembly should urgently approve substantive office holders in the Finance and Health dockets, which are key at the moment.
“Approval of the same will facilitate a smoother and seamless response to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Contacted, Gachara said he had already written to Ndicho requesting him to recall members soonest possible and address the underlying matters.
On February 19, Nyoro named his Cabinet with Mburu Kang’ethe being nominated as the Finance boss and Dr Joseph Murega, who had been unceremoniously sacked by former governor Ferdinand Waititu, making a come back to the Health docket.
Mary Kamau and James Maina were named as the Education and Lands executives while David Kimani and Dr Isabel Waiyaki took the Water and Youth dockets, respectively.
Others who were nominated included Margaret Waithera (Public Service), Joseph Kamau (Agriculture), politician Kigo Njenga (Trade) and Samuel Mugo (Roads).
Dr Martin Njogu retained his County Secretary post while Dr Joyce Ngugi was named as the deputy governor.
At the same time, Nyoro has asked water companies in the county to consider supplying water in slums for free in the next three months in order to ensure residents maintain cleanliness and hygiene.
“Water companies should not disconnect water for those with due bills and they should also avail free water for at least three months in Kiandutu, Misri and Kuamburi slums as the cure of the killer disease is being sought,” he said.
The county has not reported any positive Covid-19 case, with the few who had been isolated testing negative.
