Pressure piles on Kilifi County secretary to step aside

Kilifi, Kenya - Residents want Kilifi County Secretary Owen Baya, who is under investigations, to step aside from his duties until the probe is completed.

 

The assembly created a task force last month to investigate Mr Baya over allegations of abuse of office.

Locals who converged at Juwaba social hall in Kilifi on Thursday to give their views to the task force, chaired by Albert Kiraga, a member of the county assembly, asked it to suspend its sittings until Baya steps down or is suspended.

The task force has had two sittings and will resume operations today.

Yesterday, the embattled secretary said he cannot step aside to pave way for an investigation "by an illegal committee", adding that the task force is not valid.

corruption claims

Baya said yesterday if the alleged corruption claims are well founded they should be referred to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for investigation.

On Thursday, the chairman of Sokoni Community-Based Organisation Mohamed Mwalimu said Baya should not be investigated while still in office.

"For free and fair investigations against the secretary, I think it is healthy for Baya to be forced to step down," said Mr Mwalimu.

Other speakers accused Baya of playing the roles of the County Public Service Board (CPSB) to employ workers while others said he acts as a chief officer against regulations.

"We have evidence where the county secretary has been playing the roles of the CPSB to employ workers contrary to the law," said Mwalimu.

The probe panel was formed after a section of the MCAs led by Jaribuni ward MCA Japhet Nzaro attempted to impeach Baya but failed.

The residents accused the probe committee of switching venues of its sittings on short notice.