Political dreams shouldn’t derail counties

County governments are grappling with gaps in their operations following massive resignations by workers who are seeking elective seats in the August polls.

The main challenge is ensuring that the county operations are not interfered with following the staff exits from crucial departments and dockets.

Many of those quitting are ministers and chief officers, political appointees of governors, who may not retain their jobs even if their bosses are re-elected.

Already, some governors have appointed, in acting capacity, officials to take up positions left by the executives.

County chiefs from Nyamira, Vihiga, Kakamega and Siaya say the decision was to avert services grounding to a halt in the dockets.

In Nakuru, authorities told the Saturday Nation that workers who had relinquished their positions to join politics will be replaced by their deputies or other senior officials in the respective departments.

These workers will, however, serve in acting capacities.

According to former Law Society of Kenya chief executive Apollo Mboya, governors will face an uphill task replacing those who have resigned with only five months remaining to the August 8 polls.

This, he said, will present a scenario where the county bosses designate other executives to hold more than one docket to cover the vacant positions.

Mr Mboya says in instances where replacements have been identified, their vetting will equally be a difficult task, bearing in mind that Ward reps are already on the ground campaigning for re-election.

“For those that require vetting by the county assemblies, it will be even more difficult to raise the necessary quorum for the exercise and achieve bi-partisan vetting taking into account the polarised political environment,” says Mr Mboya.

SMOOTH OPERATIONS
Nakuru County secretary, Mr Joseph Motari, stated that arrangements for a smooth transition had been put in place to ensure key services are not disrupted as the officials vacate their positions.

“There is no county executive member who has left service to join active politics. We only have chief officers and other senior county officials,” Mr Motari said.

READ: What you need to know before quitting to join politics

READ: Ragwa sacks officers eyeing political seats

He disclosed that the county may not immediately embark on fresh recruitments as it wants to tame its wage bill.

Among those expected to resign are County Political Adviser and Director of Special Programmes Ezekiel Kesendany, who is seeking to replace Mr Joseph Ruto as deputy governor.

Also quitting is Chief Finance Officer Kapaya Torome, who is eyeing the Narok East parliamentary seat.

In Narok, Director of Communications Oliver Mwenda says workers who have resigned have been asked to hand over their duties to the senior-most officers in their departments.

He said there will be no vacuum as contingency measures have been put in place to ensure county operations are not crippled.

“We have already taken care of this and there are people working in acting capacities in affected departments so there is no need to worry,” he says.

Agriculture executive Nelson Keshei and Ms Agnes Pareiyo, the County Water Director, will both be vying for the Narok North parliamentary seat.

Roads executive Ezekiel Rono, Tourism Chief Officer Willy Ole Loigero, ECD Director Paul Chesimet and sub-county administrator Stanley Ole Mpoe have also resigned and are all eyeing the Narok West Parliamentary seat currently held by Mr Patrick Ole Ntutu.

Mr Ntutu is eyeing the Narok gubernatorial position held by Mr Samuel Tunai.

At the Coast, at least six executives from Mombasa, Kilifi and Taita Taveta have already resigned from their positions.

In Mombasa, Mr Hamisi Mwaguya and Mr Abdi Mohammed resigned from their Trade and Industry and Health dockets respectively.

Whereas Mr Mwaguya will be vying for the Mombasa Senate seat on an ODM ticket, Mr Mohamed will vie for a parliamentary seat in Mandera County on the Jubilee Party.

MORE ASPIRANTS
In Kilifi, two executives have resigned from Governor Amason Kingi’s Cabinet.

They include Mr Mwalimu Menza (Agriculture) who has expressed interest in the Magarini Parliamentary seat currently occupied by Mr Harrison Kombe.

The other is Mr Alphonce Tokali, the former executive for Roads and Infrastructure, who is eying the Kilifi South parliamentary seat.

The situation is also the same in Taita Taveta where two executives have resigned to pursue their political ambitions.

In Bungoma, County Secretary and Head of Public Service Murumba Chiuli told the Nation that the resignation of some officers to contest for political seats had derailed service delivery in the devolved unit.

Mr Chiuli said so far, eight civil servants had quit to vie for various political seats.

They include Youth and Sports Chief Officer Protus Chemonges, a member of County Public Service Board and the Deputy Director Polytechnics and Tertiary Colleges Chrispinus Mukoche.

“Others who have resigned include clerks and drivers in various ministries with majority going for MCAs seats. We have challenges now that no one has been appointed to replace them,” he said.

He noted that they expected more civil servants to resign and were planning to advertise their replacements once money was made available.

Mr Chemonges tendered his resignation two weeks ago to run for the Saboti parliamentary seat while Mr Mukoche is contesting the Kanduyi seat.

“I have tendered my resignation. It is healthy to give other people room to serve this government. I want to lead my people in Parliament, that is my agenda,” said Mr Chemonges.

Bungoma North sub county District Education Officer George Ogando also quit to vie for the Funyula parliamentary seat on Jubilee Party.

Also expected to quit is John Makali, the Bungoma County Assembly Speaker who has announced his bid for the Kanduyi parliamentary seat.

READ: School principal resigns to join Murang'a politics

In Baringo, those who have resigned include former County Assembly Director of Finance and Accounting Silas Kipruto who has expressed his interest in the Nandi gubernatorial seat.

ACTING BOSSES
In Nyamira, two senior officials, Dr Janet Komenda, who was County lands minister and Mr Daniel Arasa Mokoro, deputy governor Amos Nyaribo personal assistant resigned last week.

Dr Komenda quit her job to vie for Nyamira woman representative seat on Ford-K ticket while Mr Mokoro is eyeing the Magwagwa Ward Reps seat.

Yesterday, County secretary Eric Aori said Governor John Nyagarama had already appointed, in acting capacity, Mr Richard Mareri as the executive for Land.

Vihiga Governor Moses Akaranga, on the other hand, has assigned three senior officers to act in the positions left vacant by the officials who resigned to join politics.

Education executive Mr Musalia Edebe resigned to run for Sabatia parliamentary seat while Water Chief Officer Tom Kisia is seeking the Vihiga parliamentary seat.

The former trade chief officer, Ms Rhodah Mbandu will be fighting for the county woman rep seat.

Agriculture minister Nixon Amendi will act in the education docket.

Lands chief officer Florence Khaguli and her sports counterpart Anne Sudi will act in the Trade and Water dockets respectively.

In Kakamega, executive for Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism Ms Elsie Muhanda resigned to contest the woman representative seat.

Her position was taken up by Dr Collins Matemba, the executive for Transport who was appointed by Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to serve in acting capacity.

Mr Oparanya’s chief of staff Nabii Nabwera and Mr Justin Mutobera, a political adviser to the deputy governor Philip Kutima left to contest the Lugari and Mumias East parliamentary seats respectively.

The governor appointed his political adviser Musa Chibole in acting capacity.

In Siaya, executive for Administration and Governance George Okello has resigned from his position and ventured into elective politics.

Mr Okello is seeking to vie for the Alego Usonga parliamentary seat.

Mr Rasanga is expected to appoint Ezekiel Abang, lands executive to man the docket.

Bomet’s Finance executive Peter Koross resigned to vie for the Nakuru Town West parliamentary seat on an ODM ticket.

His counterpart Rachel Ngeno who is social services executive has also tendered her notice of resignation to contest for the Bomet woman representative seat.

STARTING CAMPAIGNS
In Tharaka-Nithi County, two executives have expressed interest in running for a political seat in the August 8 General Election.

Trade, Cooperatives and Societies executive Ms Tabitha Mbungu will contest for Tharaka-Nithi women representative position while her counterpart in Energy and ICT Ms Kithinji Cirindi is running for Chogoria Ward MCA’s position.

Governor Samuel Ragwa said the exit of the two will not affect much the operations of his government.

He said depending on situation, he will either delegate the responsibilities to other executives or appoint new executives.

“I will have decided what to do before they resign,” said Mr Ragwa.

The governor said the two are not allowed to campaign when they are expected to be undertaking their duties.

In Murang’a, executives and chief officers are among a host of public servants who have relinquished their positions to join politics.

Finance executive George Kamau and his Environment counterpart Gethirwa Macharia are both eying Kiharu seat.

Health Chief officer Joseph Mbai is interested in the Senate seat while his Trade and Tourism counterpart Karanja Gichigo is eying MCA Gaturi Ward.

Woman Representative aspirant, Catherine Wanjiku also resigned as a member of public service board.

In Isiolo, nine county officials have resigned to start campaigns and vie for elective seats.

Livestock and Fisheries chief officer is vying for Chari ward representatives’ position while his Trade, Cooperatives and Industrialisation counterpart Hudson Kinyua will contest for Isiolo North MP.

Mr Barnabas Esunyen the Culture Chief Officer has also quit his job.

LUCRATIVE SECTOR
Other civil servants who have quit their jobs include County director for youth and gender Lucy Mworia (Isiolo North MP aspirant), Director of medical services Mollu Huka (vying for Isiolo senatorial post) and Bulla Pesa Ward administrator Witherford Mwirigi.

In Meru, County secretary Julius Kimathi is vying for Imenti Central MP.

He is yet to resign from his official duties although he has been actively campaigning.

Other executives, Ntoitha M’Mithiaru (Cooperatives) and Jenaro Gatangugi (Agriculture) who will contest Igembe North parliamentary seat and Meru Senate seat respectively are yet to tender their resignations.

Mr Jacob Kirera (Finance) and Mary Mwiti (Water) said they will drop with their bids for parliamentary positions and retain their county jobs.

Meru governor Peter Munya said he had asked the two executives to write letters indicating they would not be vying for any political seats.

In Wajir, two executives have resigned.

Mr Ahmed Kolosh, who was the Land chief officer, resigned to vie for Wajir West MP.