Governor Isaac Ruto suspends clerk over ‘misconduct’

By Edwin Makiche

BOMET, KENYA: Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has suspended the interim clerk of county assembly John ole Nkere pending investigations on alleged abuse of office.

Addressing a press briefing at his office on Thursday evening, the Governor cited an advertisement run in the local dailies bearing the logo of the county government as one of the pointers that the clerk carried out activities without the approval of the county secretary.

The advertisement contained a programme of workshop on county governance that was to be held from Thursday through Saturday at Merika hotel Nakuru. It was to be officially opened by Governor Ruto.

But on Thursday, Ruto said neither him nor his office had been notified and said that he would not attend the function.
He further dismissed the function as a 'scam' saying that it bordered misuse of public funds and parliamentary autonomy.

He said public funds to a tune of over Sh.1.5 million had been used by the interim clerk in running adverts in the mainstream media without authority from the relevant departments.

"I want to condemn this act in the strongest terms possible and as a disciplinary action shall be taken against the officers who authorized it,'' said Ruto in a statement.

He continued, ''I wish to categorically state for the record that I am neither going to open or close the workshop as the advertisement purports.''
The governor also alleged that the clerk committed county funds in a similar manner without justification two months ago.

Nkere is a second clerk to work in the same capacity after Richard Ondiek, was also sent back to the Transitional Authority under unclear circumstances three months ago