The rocky relations between Governor John Nyagarama and MPs continued to play out Monday when youths allied to the county boss disrupted a meeting by the legislators.
The youths, who had gained entry to the meeting venue as attendants, started trouble when the MPs were about to address the Press. The MPs - Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba), James Gesami (West Mugirango), Charles Geni (North Mugirango) and Alice Chae (woman representative) were forced to seek help from the police to contain the youths, who later engaged the police in running battles for more than an hour.
The youths started heckling Dr Gesami who had called for calm as he prepared to address the Press. They chanted pro-Governor Nyagarama slogans while denouncing the MPs. After police ejected them, the MPs went on the attack, claiming the youths had been hired by Mr Nyagarama.
The chaos brought into the open the political wrangles between the governor and the MPs. Accusations and counter-accusations characterised two Press briefings convened by the differing sides. The MPs accused the governor of graft, mismanagement of resources, political repression and lack of professionalism.
They called on Nyagarama to be accountable to the people.
"We wish to put it on record that we are not in any way antagonising the governor nor any other party. Our move is informed by the frustration and stone-walling that has been deliberately deployed to scuttle and bury all our past consultations," said Mr Bosire.
Gesami challenged the governor to involve all stakeholders in the management of county resources as well as come clean on the allegations of graft against him.
The governor defended his office and accused the MPs of corruption and malice stemming from the proposed university to be established in Kiabonyoru, Borabu constituency.
University location
He said the each of the MPs wanted the university located in their constituencies and claimed the MPs were launching an onslaught against him because he had refused to employ their relatives.
"Some of them were coming to me with lists of relatives and cronies they wanted employed in the county, but I refused," he said.
The war of words attracted assembly Speaker Josh Nyamoko and Majority Leader Laban Masira, who came out in support of the governor.
Mr Nyamoko dismissed the MPs as busybodies wanting to remain relevant by doing a little but not enough to make any meaningful change for ordinary Kenyans.
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