Packed schedule for Muktar as he begins reign as Wajir Governor

New Wajir Governor Ahmed Ali Muktar who was sworn in last Tuesday has hit the ground running as he seeks to stamp his authority.

A few hours after being sworn in, he met staff from the Department of Health to try and find a solution to the health strike in the county.

During the meeting, the third governor of Wajir hinted at major changes in the health department.

Mr Muktar also met the Wajir County Referral Hospital Management team where strategies to improve services at the facility were discussed. The County referral facility had been closed due to the health workers' strike.

At the consultative meeting, Mr Muktar pledged to progressively address unresolved and outstanding issues raised by the management of the Wajir County Referral Hospital.

Issues raised by the hospital management were substantial, according to the governor.

“I appreciate the competence and determination of the team in overcoming the current challenges and my administration will give necessary support to enhance health services,” Governor Muktar told the hospital management.

A day later, he presided over the first county executive committee meeting. He asked the executives to ensure staff in their departments are effectively supervised.

He ordered payment of outstanding statutory payments that are core to service delivery notably electricity, NSSF, loans and NHIF once the county receives funds from the National Treasury.

He also promised to ensure that the county budget for the 2021/22 financial year is finalised saying Wajir was lagging. 

Last Thursday, Governor Muktar inspected his county Covid-19 isolation unit and Wajir Medical Warehouse to assess the progress and preparedness of the centres.

He said his administration was committed to putting in place measures to mitigate the novel coronavirus and bring to halt issues of negligence and promote service across all health sectors.

Governor Muktar spent the better part of Thursday in a meeting with the county legislators led by the Assembly Speaker, Mr Ibrahim Yakub.

“We discussed in detail ways of driving the county developmental agenda to greater heights while addressing the inherent setbacks,” the governor posted on his Facebook page.

The county boss also travelled to Wajir West to resolve a standoff at Griftu Sub-County Hospital.

The hospital had been shut after its casual labourers downed their tools citing poor working conditions and delayed payment of their wages.

Also ailing is Habaswein Sub-County Referral Hospital.

In Wajir, it is reported that most public hospitals suffer from an acute lack of medical supplies and equipment needed for the day-to-day running of the facilities.

Ailing health service

“The pledge to fix the ailing health service continues. I spent a good part of the afternoon with the Griftu Sub-County Hospital Management, Staff and casual workers to understand the obstacles to the provision of quality health services,” the governor posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

He said his government will fast-track the payment of the outstanding arrears for the casual workers and increase the annual health budget to Sh3 billion.

He has pledged to employ about 150 casuals in the health sector on permanent terms as of July 1, 2021.

“We want to have emergency referral services improved through facilitation of the crews, constant maintenance and repair of the ambulances,” he said.

In his tour of Wajir West, the governor was accompanied by Mr Ahmed Kolosh, the area MP.

On the same day together with Mr Kolosh and nominated Senator Farhiya Hajji, Governor Muktar hosted Mr Harry Kimutai, Principal Secretary for State Department of Livestock.

Together they inspected projects at the Griftu Livestock Training Institute and issued cheques for the Kenya Livestock Insurance Project (KLIP).

“My administration in partnership with the State Department for Livestock through the Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project (RPLRP) has initiated programmes that have gone a long way in improving the resilience of our community who largely depend on the pastoral economy,” said the governor. 

He said his team will collaborate with development partners, community members, civil society groups, government agencies and various stakeholders for the prosperity of Wajir County.

The team also commissioned the Wajir Veterinary Laboratory, Makaror Hay Shed Projects in Wajir town and issued cheques to the Kenya Livestock Insurance Programme (KLIP).

On the same day, accompanied by Mr Kolosh and County Secretary Abdullahi Maalim, Governor Muktar graced the launch of the polio vaccination campaign in Wajir Town.

He urged residents with children below five years of age to ensure they are vaccinated.

A total of 180,174 children below 5 years of age are targeted in the five-day campaign in Wajir County.

As Governor Muktar hit the ground, the former Governor Mohamed Abdi on Friday attended a Council of Governors meeting in Mombasa but it remained unclear in what capacity.

The council said it was unhappy with how senators handled the impeachment motion against Governor Abdi.

CoG chairman Martin Wambora claimed the process violated the law, saying the Senate did not investigate the matter as provided for under Section 33 (4) of the County Governments Act.

On Thursday, Mr Abdullahi Hassan Maalim, Wajir County Secretary wrote to the Chairman Council of Governors over operations at the county’s liaison office at Delta House.

Mr Maalim accused the CoG staff at Delta house of disrespecting the law by allowing the former governor to continue using the Wajir County Liaison facility in Nairobi.

“It is worthy to note that the Wajir Liaison Offices are paid by the County Government of Wajir and we will not allow such intrusions subsequently,” the letter reads.

In the letter, CoG was urged not to further contribute to the delay of services to the people of Wajir by encouraging parallel leadership.

The County Secretary asked the CoG to follow the law for any genuine grievances raised.

Governor Muktar flew to Nairobi over the weekend where he was expected to hold more meetings with the business community from Wajir, political leadership and clan elders from the county and meet women and youth leaders.

“He is in Nairobi for a series of meetings and the agenda is making changes in Wajir. Most probably he will want people who will be loyal to him during the period that he will be in office,” Mr Ali Shurie, a resident of Wajir said.