KENYA: Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho Thursday reshuffled his cabinet and appointed Lands, Urban Planning and Housing county executive, Francis Thoya, the County Secretary.
"Today I have re-organized the County Government in order to enhance service delivery to the residents of Mombasa County. Subsequently I have made the following changes effective immediately," Joho said in the statement.
The biggest casualty in the changes effected Thursday is the Tourism County Executive, Joab Tumbo who was moved to office of the governor as an advisor on Water Security and Climate Change Resilient Projects.
"This Project seeks to increase availability and productivity of water and also enhance institutional framework and strengthen capacity for water security and climate resilience for the county," said Joho in a statement.
Joho said more changes would follow as he moves to streamline his administration with indications that he may opt to amalgamate some ministries and departments.
Mr Thoya replaces Mr Hamisi Mwaguya as the county secretary who has been moved to the post of the new chief of staff in the office of the governor. Mr Juma Khamis, the former chief of staff will now serve as the sub-county administration coordinator.
Thoya who takes over as new County Secretary, subject to approval by the County Assembly, has curved out an image for himself as a crusader for the rights of thousands of squatters in the county.
Recently the outspoken CEC teamed up with Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi and several other local leaders to resist the eviction of about 1000 squatters at Dunga Unuse village in Changamwe sub-county and later moved to court to developments on the land.
He will be replaced at the powerful Lands docket by the county executive committee member Anthony Njaramba in an acting capacity.
Ms Binty Omar, the county executive member for Health will double up as the acting County executive in charge of Tourism Development and Culture, replacing Mr Tumbo.
Mr Joho sent on leave the chief officer for Youth, Gender and Sports Mr Abdalla Mwabami and his Tourism Development and Culture counterpart Mr Simon Mbaru,
Ms Rabia Salim and Mr Rajab Iddi Babu will be the new acting chief officers in the Tourism Department and Culture, and chief officer in charge for Youth Gender and Sports respectively.
"More changes will soon follow as we reorganize the staff to ensure quality and timely service delivery to the residents of Mombasa," said Joho.
Apart from fighting evictions and championing the rights of squatters, Mr Thoya has actively advocated for the better compensation of residents being displaced the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Changamwe and Jomovu constituencies and Dongo Kundu bypass and free port in Likoni constituency.
Mr Thoya recently collided with Mombasa county commissioner Mr Nelson Marwa who accused him of inciting squatters at Maganda and Skembo to reject compensation rates so as to pave way for the SGR project.
