Kilifi's Jibana community threatens to sue over county appointments

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro when he announced the new members of the County Executive.

Photo credit: Alex Kalama I Nation Media Group

The Jibana community in Kilifi County has threatened to sue Governor Gideon Mung'aro after one of their own missed out on appointments announced earlier this week.

The team, comprising the Jibana Council of Elders, professionals and opinion leaders, issued a three-day ultimatum for the county cabinet to be reviewed.

The Jibana are among minority groups in the seven Mijikenda sub-tribes of Kilifi.

Jibana Council of Elders chairperson Madzundu Benzi said Mr Mung'aro had violated the 2012 County Governments Act, which requires that the composition of the County Executive Committee (CEC) reflect the community and cultural diversity of the region.

Mr Benzi said at a press briefing that the governor had discriminated against the Jibana community.

“We are raising our concerns about the injustice committed by the governor because no single person from the Jibana community was nominated to the cabinet in the county government while we are shareholders in Kilifi,” he said.

Seven of the 10 nominated members of the CEC are Giriama, he said.

Mr Silas Mwagande, a member of the Jibana professionals, asked the county assembly not to approve the names.

“The Jibana community should have representation in the cabinet and the ongoing recruitment of the chief officers should follow the same trend to ensure proper representation,” he said.

In his appointments this week, Mr Mung’aro also designated more key duties to his deputy Florence Chibule.

“Her responsibilities will be very clear and in accordance with the Constitution,” he said.

Among other duties, he said, his deputy will also represent the governor in the Coast regional economic block Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani and supervise his strategic and delivery unit that he plans to form.

Also appointed are three task forces to look into the health sector, the workforce and pending bills. They are expected to report back to the governor within two months.