The devolution conference was rocked by an accreditation headache yesterday after it emerged that delegates' badges had not been printed.
Clerks manning registration desks at Gitwe Primary School, where the delegates were expected to register, could not explain why the badges had not been printed.
Delegates had to spend hours in queues waiting to collect the passes and not all of them had been registered by the close of business yesterday.
They wondered why the cards had not been printed even after they each paid Sh20,000 two weeks earlier.
The same problem was experienced during last year's conference in Kakamega.
There was chaos as hundreds of delegates scrambled to get their accreditation badges for the conference being held at Kirinyaga University.
There were claims that the county was also ill prepared to host the more than 6,000 delegates expected at the meeting.
Majority of those attending the conference were forced to go as far as Nyeri, Murang'a, Embu and Thika towns in search of accommodation, as the few facilities in Kirinyaga were fully booked.
Host governor Anne Waiguru said they had agreed that her county would host the conference and a few delegates, while the rests of the guests would be accommodated in neighbouring counties.
"I don't think there is a county that can comfortably host 6,000 guests in one town. Some are being accommodated here but others will be accommodated in Thika, Nyeri, Murang'a and Embu," Ms Waiguru said yesterday.
Governors will be accommodated in Murang'a and Nyeri while Senators have been booked at a resort in Thika.
The county chiefs yesterday met President Uhuru Kenyatta at Sagana State Lodge before proceeding to Kerugoya for pre-devolution conference games.
The conference, expected to end on Friday, is themed “Deliver. Transform. Measure and Remain Accountable” brings together many other devolution stakeholders.
There was also a security challenge after thieves broke into Royal Media Services car and stole equipment.
The crew reported the matter to the police.
