Administrators told to facilitate BBI rallies

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has directed regional and county commissioners to help facilitate the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) rallies countrywide.

During the official closing of a two-day workshop for the administrators at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Friday, Dr Matiang’i told the officers to ensure leaders in charge of awareness meetings comply with the law.

However, he cautioned the administrators against taking part in political discussions and told them to provide a conducive environment for the referendum that is expected next year should all the requisite conditions be met.

With President Uhuru Kenyatta as the chief architect of the BBI, the minister said, it is in order for commissioners to follow his lead.

“We are the facilitators of democratic debates and discussions like the BBI,” Dr Matiang’i said.

“In the practice of government, we queue behind the President. Our President is the leader. When he takes a position, we follow it. Those in the security agencies are ahead of the queue.”

He added that administrators support the BBI.

“We will facilitate political leaders as they discuss and organise Kenyans in the field but it is not for us to lead the debates,” Dr Matiang’i said.

Role models

Interior Chief Administrative Secretary Hussein Dado echoed his boss’ words, telling the commissioners to do what President Kenyatta directs them to.

“Let us know that we have no personal opinion on public matters pronounced. If the President says we will go this way today, we do not have to second guess,” Mr Dado said.

“Kenyans are looking at you. You are the government. If you start saying that you do not know where the BBI report came from, what will the public think?”

Despite being ordered to help facilitate the rallies, Dr Matiang’i urged the administrators to be firm when dealing with the political leaders, regardless of their positions.

He said action should be taken on anyone who incites the public to violence or hatred.

“Do not be intimidated by those breaking the law. Remain firm and ensure our country is secure and safe. Do what is right for Kenyans. Make the right decisions and I will take responsibility,” the minister added.

With the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the country, the commissioners were called to be alert and extra careful in protecting themselves and ordinary citizens.

The Cabinet Secretary also mourned two chiefs who died of coronavirus-related complications recently.  One of them was Francis Kariuki who was buried in Nakuru early this week.

Dr Matiang’i advised Kenyans to follow the Covid-19 guidelines and protocols given by the Ministry of Health.

“The country recently lost two of its best chiefs. It is very painful, and it shows that coronavirus is at our doorstep. We should take care of ourselves,” he said.

Government services

Dr Matiang’i said quarrels between the administrators and governors are to blame for poor public services and the implementation of government projects.

He asked the two sides to join hands and find acceptable ways of fighting the pandemic.

Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho said the workshop would go a long way in improving the implementation of State-run programmes and projects.

He added that more than 1,200 non-operational projects have been cleared in the past two years, consequently saving the government a lot of money.

Dr Matiang’i also spoke of the coming recruitment of assistant chiefs, saying it will be stricter than ever before.

As soon as they are recruited, the assistant chiefs will be taken through a lengthy training session to curb incidents of the administrators embarrassing the government.

A number of deputy county commissioners, chiefs and assistant chiefs have been captured on camera drunk in public, some even during important State functions.

Dr Matiang’i said the government is working on having retired administrative officers attend such summits “to pass knowledge and experience to their successors”.

He added that there is a succession problem in the government and put contractors delaying government projects on notice, saying regional commissioners should order their arrest.

"We cannot joke around with people playing with government money. Such contractors must be arrested,” Dr Matiang’i said.

“We cannot engage in public relations with taxpayers’ money. I would rather be right than popular.”

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