Governor Kinyanjui’s score card after three years in office

Since his inauguration on August 21, 2017, Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui has had major development hits in the cosmopolitan county.

However, he has also failed to fulfill some of  the promises he made to Nakuru County residents and this may spoil the party as he marks his third year in office on August 21.

The governor will also be celebrating after he was recently named Africa’s best business friendly governor of the year 2020. However, on balance, both his admirers and critics agree that his development track is impressive.
Many residents say that compared to his predecessor Kinuthia Mbugua, Governor Kinyanjui’s tenure has had no drama and has won the admiration of many.

However, he is yet to fulfill many of the promises he made to Nakuru residents when he took oath of office on August 21, 2017.
“Governor Kinyanjui has the opportunity to shape his legacy now that he is the most trusted ally of President Uhuru Kenyatta after the President fell out with his former foot soldiers in the region MP Kimani Ngunjiri and Senator Susan Kihika," said Mr George Ouma a political analyst.

“It is very easy to measure the impact that Governor Kinyanjui has had just for the past three years through massive development projects that are ongoing and are on the pipeline in all the 11 sub-counties," added Mr Ouma.

Infrastructural development

Mr Kinyanjui’s administration is said to have scored highly on health and infrastructural development.
 
"We didn't have single maternity facility in Mosop Ward, and expectant mothers were forced to either give birth at home or be rushed to Nakuru Provincial General Hospital," said Ms Irene Kosgei a resident of Mosop.
Expectant mothers were giving birth on the floor of dilapidated structures.
 
More than 20 wards had no health centres and had only dispensaries that operated for eight hours between Monday and Friday. The sentiments are echoed across the 55 wards that have so far consumed nearly Sh1billion in infrastructural development.

But the record of superb health had its share of blemishes as the sector has been hit with several strikes that have paralysed services.

Health workers have have not been promoted and this has affected the workers' morale. However, the devolved unit has denied the claims from Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union.

Mr Kinyanjui's push for a revamped agriculture sector has so far left a positive legacy. Several projects have transformed the lives of the residents and boosted food production.

The projects include the cattle auction in Solai, restocking of fish ponds, the launch of the union of dairy cooperatives, revival of pyrethrum sector, the launch of potato farmers and milk producers to push for better prices and a call centre at Agriculture Training Centre where farmers’ questions are addressed by experts.

Plant doctor services and breeding of livestock programme, are some of the other success stories in this docket headed by Dr Immaculate Njuthe Maina.
One of the biggest misses in the Kinyanjui administration is the lack of inclusivity. His administration is still dominated by the two communities just like his predecessor.

"On inclusivity, he has scored badly and needs to improve because Nakuru is cosmopolitan. Top positions such as executives, chief officers and directors should not be the preserve of two communities," said Mr Hilton Abiola who is also the Orange Democratic Movement Nakuru County secretary.

"Nakuru is the face of Kenya and that should be reflected in the structure of the county’s executive structure. It is time for Governor Kinyanjui to right the wrongs," said Mr Abiola.

The administration has also made a big miss in the development of pre-primary education as majority of the 55 wards lack teachers and some of the classes are in deplorable state.
The administration has elaborate plans for women, youth, and people with disabilities.  
"The special groups are still suffering in Nakuru County," said Mr Peter Otieno, one of the persons living with disability. The slow speed at which sports facilities are being upgraded in the county is another major concern for youth athletes in a county that has produced world beaters such as Faith Chepng’etich who is the reigning Olympic 1,500m women's champion and former world marathon champion Geoffrey Kirui.

The two global stars hail from Keringet where the proposed sports academy has dragged its feet as talents lie idle in the villages.

The presence of corruption and cartels at the county procurement department has dodged the Governor Kinyanjui administration. However, the governor is reorganising the procurement department by dismantling the cartels which have sabotaged his development agenda.

The financial crisis still dodges the county despite Mr Kinyanjui making a commitment of taming the runaway wage bill which is past the Sh6 billion mark.
"My administration shall set a robust system of governance that will ensure efficient use of public resources. Corrupt workers who work with cartels to plunder the county will face disciplinary action including dismissal," said Mr Kinyanjui when he took over.

The inability to reduce the wage bill as he marks his third year in office counts among the missed goals under his watch.

"Such a long delay in finding a lasting solution to wage bill may come to haunt Governor Kinyanjui administration," said Mr Ouma.
"Voters could eventually show their displeasure over such delays and respond at the ballot box," he added.
The slow set up of the Nakuru Municipal Board and hiring of a municipal manager is another miss in the administration.

However, a senior Municipal Board official said that the recruitment of a manager has started and a substantive office holder will be hired "soon".
Lack of civic education and access to public information is another big miss in Kinyanjui administration.

"We have too much blogging for the governor and little development feedback on what county is doing and what the residents want," said Ms Damaris Kamau.

The majority of the youth believe the county is paying lip service.
"The governor needs to form a platform to engage with the youth directly and not through proxies or chief officers or executives who don't understand our issues," said Mr George Miiri a former student at Egerton University.

Nakuru is still reeling from acute shortage of water and rationing by the service providers Nakuru Water and Sanitation and Service Company and Nakuru Rural Water and Sanitation Company is the order of the day.
Roads are still in bad shape in most parts of the rural Nakuru despite the county having Boresha Barabara progrmame, a brainchild of the governor.

The CBD has been invaded by Boda-Boda riders and tuk-tuks, posing a danger to pedestrians. There is poor drainage.     
“As the former NTSA chairperson and former assistant minister for Roads and Public Works, and past MP for Nakuru Town, he knows the rot in this town and he should fix it without waiting for the Municipal Board," said a hotelier along Mburu Gichua Road.

Mr Kinyanjui has started decongesting the town, thanks to coronavirus, and most of the matatu terminus have been moved from the CBD.
The governor’s missed opportunities so far are learning lessons ahead of the 2022 elections.
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