Alarm as Embu leaders reject transfer of Uasin Gishu commissioner to the region
From Left: Uasin Gishu County Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno, Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Stephen Kihara and Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Ayub Ali, during this year's Madaraka Day celebrations held at Huruma Grounds in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County on June 01, 2022.
A cross-section of Embu leaders are up in arms, protesting against the transfer of Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Stephen Kihara to the region.
Led by newly elected Governor Cecily Mbarire, they criticised Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and his Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho for moving the administrator to Embu.
Ms Mbarire claimed Mr Kihara was used by the Matiang'i and Kibicho offices to create fear, division and tribal animosity in Uasin Gishu during the August 9 polls and he should not be allowed to work in Embu.
"Embu is not [a] dumping place for bad leaders. Keep Kihara and cleanse him elsewhere," Ms Mbarire wrote on Twitter.
President-elect William Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and Dr Ruto’s aide Dennis Itumbi were tagged in the tweet.
The leaders expressed fears that they and residents would not be safe under Mr Kihara and called for his transfer to be revoked.
Mr Kihara was among more than seven commissioners transferred to various places after the polls.
He will swap places with Dr Eddyson Nyale.
The Embu leaders said they will not work with Mr Kihara and the government should move him to a different place.
Deputy Governor Kinyua Mugo echoed his boss' sentiments.
Outgoing Mbeere South MP Geoffrey King'ang'i demanded to know why Dr Nyale was moved after only a short stint in Embu and replaced by Mr Kihara.
"We don't want Mr Kihara in this region," Mr King'ang'i said.
He added: “The government should not impose administrators on us."
The leaders vowed to continue protesting until their grievances were addressed.
When Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii was sworn in last week, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi demanded the resignation of Mr Kihara, arguing that he had meddled in local politics.
Mr Sudi said Mr Kihara could not serve in a Kenya Kwanza administration.
Mr Sudi’s statement and attacks on government administrators by other Kenya Kwanza leaders, including Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, have been criticised in some quarters, with suggestions that this amounts to ethnic profiling and endangered the lives of public officials.
