Council of Governors issue ultimatum on Makueni County wrangles

Council of Governor Chairman Isaac Ruto(right),Narok Governor Samuel Tunai(center) and Makueni governor Kivutha Kibwana(left)

The Council of Governors (CoG) will recommend the dissolution of Makueni County if the executive and the assembly fail to reconcile in the next one week.

A council meeting in Naivasha said the Senate Committee on Devolution set to probe the issue must not involve leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Kindiki Kithure, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Makueni's Mutula Kilonzo Junior, whom they accused of being biased.

Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, who attended the meeting, supported the decision and said he was ready to face the electorate within the shortest time possible to end the impasse that had led to paralysis of service delivery for over a year.

The wrangles in the county boiled over last week when five people sustained gunshot wounds in chaos that marred a leaders' meeting.

CoG chairman Isaac Ruto (Bomet) told a press briefing that Makueni residents had a responsibility to initiate the reconciliation process in view of the fact that the county existed to serve them, not the leaders.

Police are probing the incident in which Mr Kibwana's aide was injured as he attempted to gain access to the meeting.

The Makueni governor rallied his colleagues to have the county dissolved due to what he termed irreconcilable differences between the executive and the assembly.

Kibwana, who met with governors at a Naivasha hotel to brief them of the county's progress regarding the conflict pitting him against Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), said the management of affairs had broken down completely.

"I have already printed booklets to collect signatures from voters in the region to start the process of suspending the county government. The differences between the executive and the assembly cannot be resolved," said the governor.

Kibwana claimed the assembly had totally refused to work with the executive and MCAs had enlisted the support of other elected leaders from the National Assembly and Senate to frustrate his government.

"It is clear from the activities of the assembly and other elected leaders that no solution can be found in the current conflict," he said.

Mr Ruto told a press conference attended by 15 governors that the council supported a decision by Makueni residents to petition President Uhuru Kenyatta to take steps that would culminate in fresh elections.

The Bomet governor said the council had lost faith in the Senate devolution team that had announced it would move to Makueni today to try and reconcile the leaders.

The council called for the formation of an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the stalemate in line with Article 192 of the Constitution.

"This commission will work for 90 days and if the county fails to resolve the current deadlock at the expiry of the three months, then the people of Makueni shall go to the ballot to elect new leaders," he said.

Kibwana said it was extremely difficult for his government to function as the county assembly had put up four of his executive members for impeachment.

"The CECs for Finance, Agriculture and Livestock; Water and Irrigation, and Lands and Urban Planning have all been lined up for removal from office," said the governor.

Kibwana also accused the MCAs of failing to pass the Finance and other crucial Bills, leading to a management crisis.

He said out of the Sh376 million budget, the county assembly had already used Sh174 million since the beginning of the financial year.