County stares at governance crisis as County Assembly sends home 7 advisors to the governor

Voi,

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

KNA    by Wagema Mwangi

A major storm is brewing in Taita-Taveta County following the County Assembly’s nullification of appointment of seven advisors attached to Governor Andrew Mwadime’s office in a move that could paralyze the operations of the executive arm of the government.

The County Assembly cited incompetence, lack of academic qualifications and gross violation of the law that governs appointment of the governor’s staff.

During the charged sitting on Wednesday, 29 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) supported the motion to nullify the advisors’ appointments. Two Taveta MCAs abstained while one MCA was declared absent.

The nullification came after the Assembly adopted a report by the County Assembly Committee on Tourism that was investigating wanton misuse of funds allocated for commemoration of World War 1 event in the county last year.

The report implicated Mr. Thomas Jumwa, Economic Advisor, for misappropriation of over four million shillings allocated for the event.

County Assembly Chair of the Tourism Committee Ms. Lilian Mwangoi stated that a thorough probe of utilization of public funds placed the economic advisor at the heart of the mess. The committee cited him as an individual to bear significant responsibility for misappropriation of monies allocated for the event.

The committee said the event was characterized by gross violation of the Public Finance and Management Act and Public Procurement and Disposal Act by senior officials mandated to oversee the activity. A deeper analysis of documents disclosed multiple forgery of documents, receipts and invoices for suppliers who allegedly provided goods and services for the event.

The committee recommended that governor Mwadime suspend his economic advisor pending the outcome of another probe by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). The governor was directed to fire the advisor once he was found culpable by the anti-graft watchdog.

In addition, the committee also directed Mr. Jumwa’s academic certificates to be certified by the Commission for Higher Education (CHE) for authenticity.

“We recommend that Thomas Jumwa be suspended to pave way for investigations by the EACC,” reads part of the recommendation.

The report further looped in other advisors including Political Advisor Mr. Richard Lukundo whose appointment was nullified for lacking requisite academic credentials to act in his current role. The Director of Communication Mchikirwa Derejai was also cited for having failed to certify her academic papers with CHE. Governor Mwadime’s Gender Advisor Ms. Jennifer Dali also suffered nullification of her appointment by the Assembly as the position is not recognized by law.

The Assembly went on to declare null and void the four extra advisors appointed by Governor Mwadime early this year. The governor had appointed Mr. Bill Lay as Investment Advisor; Mr. Frank M;mare, Health advisor; Jason Tuja, Peace and Cohesion Advisor and Jeremiah Kiwoi as Land Governance advisor. The executive said the appointees would give advice on specific areas to ensure the governor was well-informed in various matters.

However, the Assembly noted that the huge number of advisors was an extra burden to the county coffers at a time the region was grappling with a staggering wage bill.  The Assembly was informed that the appointment of the extra advisors violated the Transition Authority Advisory of 2013 that specified the staff to be allocated to the governor’s office.

“The advisors were irregularly appointed as they are not recognized anywhere by the law. Their positions are null and void,” Ms. Mwangoi told the Assembly.

In the advisory by the Transition Authority, the office of the governor is entitled to have a Chief of Staff, Economic, Legal and Political advisors, Director of Press Service and support staff including personal assistant, personal secretary, a cook, a driver, a messenger and a gardener.

The advisory adds that appointments of qualified persons to those positions will be regularized by the County Public Service Board.

While supporting the recommendations of the report, Mr. Peter Shambi, Wiper Nominated MCA, stated that the Assembly would stand firm against any misuse of public funds and violation of laws by the Executive. He added that the appointment of the advisors was anathema to law and was draining the county coffers.

“The executive must adhere to the law while appointing advisors. The people must be qualified to give the governor proper advice,” he stated.

Ms. Dorcas Mlughu, Rong’e Ward MCA who is also the Minority Whip, accused the executive of attempting to manipulate the County Assembly through a divide-and-rule ploy to avoid adoption of the damning report.

She disclosed that the executive had sent special invitations to selected MCAs to attend a ‘meeting’ at a posh hotel in Makueni to discuss weight county issues. At the same time, the office of the first lady had sent invitations to female MCAs and spouses of male MCAs for a meeting at another hotel to discuss county matters.

Ms. Mlughu said the invitations were intended to cripple the operations of the County Assembly and deny the Assembly a quorum to debate the report.

“That was a poor attempt to sow discord amongst members of this house and it failed. This shows the executive is trying to cover up some ills that cannot be tolerated,” she said.

Most of the MCAs who had received the invitation distanced themselves from the ploy stating that they were not consulted.

However, the MCAs move in nullifying the advisors has elicited sharp reactions from a section of public with some citing the move as a witch-hunt.

Mr. Derrick Nyambu claims that the move was a ploy to intimidate the governor by the MCAs as a way to make him cave in to their demands. He wondered why the issue of academic papers for advisors had never cropped up in any of the previous regimes.

“This is a mere witch hunt by the MCAs. They want to weaken the governor but they won’t succeed. They should know we voted for the governor just as we voted for them,” he said.

Mr. Stephen Saleka, a Wundanyi resident, called for the two arms of the government to work out their differences amicably. He added that no arm should work towards paralyzing the other one because all leaders were serving the people.

Courtesy K.N.A