Governors Mwangaza, Wanga already in trouble with EACC
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga (left) and her Meru counterpart Kawira Mwangaza. The EACC has written to them asking they to comply with the law.
The governors of Meru and Homa Bay counties have been censured by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over irregular appointments in their offices.
Kawira Mwangaza (Meru) and Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) have barely settled into office but the EACC has already written to them asking them to comply with the law.
For Ms Mwangaza, the censure comes just days after members of the county assembly (MCAs) walked out on her inaugural address to the House to protest her leadership style.
The EACC asked Ms Mwangaza to respond to accusations of irregular recruitment, conflict of interest, failure to protect public resources and nepotism.
The commission lists the accusations it received against Ms Mwangaza in an October 19 letter from CEO Twalib Mbarak. She is accused of directing county employees to further the interests of Baite TV, a station associated with her spouse Murega Baicu.
“It is further reported that under your directive, employees of the county are expected to promote political activities on social media platforms and that those who fail [to do so] are threatened with termination of their employment,” reads the letter.
Ms Mwangaza is accused of appointing Mr Baicu to a public office called “county youth patron and hustlers’ ambassador”. When she made the appointment, she said Mr Baicu would not earn a salary from the government, but her accusers are uncomfortable with the appointment.
“Mr Baicu has been attending official county meetings and issuing directives to county employees yet it’s not clear whether he is a public officer,” Mr Mbarak says. The letter goes on to allege that Ms Mwangaza appointed two of her sisters to public offices, one as her personal assistant and the other as part of her security personnel.
“The commission notes that these allegations constitute serious ethical issues and if true would amount to a serious breach of the integrity and ethical requirements governing the conduct of state officers under Chapter Six of the Constitution,” Mr Mbarak says in the letter.
The EACC says that establishing and abolishing public offices is the preserve of the County Public Service Board. It urged Ms Mwangaza to respond to the allegations although no timelines were given.
“Governors must follow the laid-down rules and they will be held accountable for their actions and decisions,” Mr Mbarak told the Nation.
The accusations against Ms Wanga relate to nominations for employment that she has made that exceed the set limit. The governor nominated 10 advisers to her office and one to the office of the deputy governor, contrary to the law.
Mr Mbarak also says in the October 19 letter that Ms Wanga irregularly created six positions of liaison officers and four in the governor’s delivery unit. She made the nominations in a circular dated October 11.
Mr Mbarak says that under Salaries and Remuneration Commission guidelines, the office of the governor is entitled to a chief of staff, an economic adviser, a political adviser, a legal adviser and a director of the governor’s press service. A governor is also entitled to support staff that include a personal assistant, personal secretary, cook, driver, messenger and gardener.
“The governor is required to identify the persons to be appointed in the said positions and the County Public Service Board regularizes the same. Section 59 (1) (a) of the County Governments Act 2012 places exclusive responsibility for establishing and abolishing public offices in a county government on the County Public Service Board,” Mr Mbarak says in the letter.
“To this end, the commission advises that the nominations for the governor’s office be reviewed in liaison with the County Public Service Board to ensure that they comply with the law and the guidelines,” the letter reads.
