MCAs complete vetting of Governor Kang’ata cabinet nominees 

The Murang’a County Assembly has finished vetting Governor Irungu Kang'ata's nominees to the County Executive Committee (CEC).

A committee chaired by Speaker Johnson Mukuha interviewed the nominees on Tuesday and Wednesday.  

Prof Joseph Mwaura (Finance and Economic Planning) said he will reverse the previous administration’s practice of spending 58 percent of revenues on expenditure and 42 on development.

Local revenues must go up "as per Dr Kang'ata's declared intent to increase development funding to 70pc of total revenues", he said.

Mr Kirangi Kamau (Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives) said "producers must access subsidies, value addition, reviewed market cess rates, structured markets and safe savings".

He said the sector is in tatters owing to lack of irrigation water, infiltration of brokers who distort the market and a high cost of production.

"Dr Kang'ata has told me to prepare for my exit if by 2024 I will not have posted tangible results. We have work to do and we have to heavily partner with the national government, donors and the private sector," he said.

Competent staff

Dr Kamondia Mbugua (Health) said he will ensure that health facilities have competent staff and adequate medical supplies.

"The health workers must serve the people. They must justify their employment. We must ensure medicine is available and is not getting stolen,” he said. 

“We must be conducting research on patient satisfaction at the exit points of our health centres. Patients’ feedback will be the measure of my docket's service delivery."

Dr Mbugua said hospitals will retain 10 percent of revenue generated to help them cover minor expenditures.

"Patients should not be sent away because the county is yet to supply some low-cost administrative ingredients. The facilities can approve [their] own small budgets subject to existing procurement guidelines," he said.

Mr Kimani Mugo (Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism) said he will complement wealth-creation ventures.

"I will play the pivotal role of helping our people trade and venture into industrialisation for higher earnings and employment opportunities,” he said. 

“I will also help in marketing our tourism potential sites and also explore establishment of animal orphanages on the peripheries of our major towns."

High intakes

Faith Njoroge (Education) said her brief is to ensure a vibrant county scholarship programme, high intakes in vocational training to help the county increase its skills level, and promote Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE). 

Mary Magochi, the nominee for Water, Irrigation, Environment and Natural Resources, said she will increase levels of clean drinking and irrigation water and pursue reforestation and a clean environment.

Water catchment areas will be protected and tariffs will be reviewed, she pledged.

Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development CEC member-nominee Winfred Mwangi said the real estate sector is a captive of corruption and market distortion.

"That is what I am here to correct. We want to kick out corruption that even disinherits people of their heritage, get rid of red tape that discourages developers [and raises project costs]. We will ensure safety at our construction sites to minimise disaster risks," she said.

Dr Kang’ata's aide, Noah Gachucha, the nominee for Youth Affairs, Culture and Social Services, said he will streamline sporting activities, address alcoholism among young people and give them hope.

White elephant

Mr Pius Macharia (Roads, Housing and Infrastructure) said all white elephant projects will be reviewed and economies of scale applied so that they can benefit locals.

Mr James Gatuma (ICT and Public Administration) said he will help the county government and its departments communicate better with residents through e-platforms.

He said communication breakdowns are the start of conflicts between leaders and their people. 

He said he will ensure residents interact with their government on phone-based social media networks.

The vetting reports will be handed to the majority leader's office for tabling and debate in the assembly.

Majority Leader Kibe Wasary said: "We are all anxious to have this new government gain structures and there is no foreseeable complication in endorsing these nominees."

He added that residents "should start treating these nominees as their substantial chief executives in the dockets listed since we will endorse them in the assembly and the governor will have his cabinet intact by the close of next week".

Dr Kang’ata has cited better health services, promoting agribusiness and setting up a ward fund as the three top pillars of his tenure.

To achieve these objectives, he vowed to spend wisely and set aside more money for development.

He promised to improve revenue collection by digitising operations, curb corruption and seek development partnerships.

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