Members of the county assembly have started vetting two nominees picked by Governor Hilary Barchok (pictured left) to fill vacant positions in the county executive committee.
Patrick Maritim, who was nominated to head the Information Communication Technology and Administration docket, was taken to task over what skills he was bringing to the department.
The long-serving principal defended his nomination, saying he had amassed administrative skills that he would employ to oversee the sector.
Members of the committee chaired by Chepchabas MCA Wesley Kiprotich doubted his suitability to handle ICT-related elements in the docket having spent his time teaching.
Mr Maritim, however, insisted he was up to the task, asking MCAs to give him an opportunity to prove himself.
“My wealth of experience as a school administrator is a weapon I am coming on board with and I can assure everyone it will not be business as usual,” said Maritim.
The other nominee, Emily Sawe, was taken to task on youth unemployment in the county. Nominated for the Youth, Sports, Gender and Social Services docket, Ms Sawe said she would work with other departments to come up with opportunities to benefit the youth.
Questions on how she plans to deal with budgeting for neglected vulnerable groups also dogged her. Sawe said that through commitment and planning, she would ensure issues affecting all groups are addressed.
“It is all about proper planning and dedication to run the docket. There’s a lot that needs to be restructured for our youth to benefit from devolution,” she said.
Governor Barchok was forced to go back to the drawing board after MCAs rejected six out of 10 nominees he wanted to retain in the committee. Barchok took over the county leadership after the death of Governor Joyce Laboso.
