By KARANJA NJOROGE
Nakuru, Kenya: Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has defended the embattled county head of procurement after the assembly sacked her over alleged insubordination and arrogance.
Mr Mbugua said it was wrong to single out one officer for blame over awarding of tenders in the county while the procurement process had been devolved to the departments.
He was speaking for the first time on the row following the decision by the assembly to sack the County Head of Procurement Elizabeth Masaku over alleged insubordination and arrogance.
In a report unanimously passed by the assembly two weeks ago, a joint committee accused the officer of disregarding directions from the County Finance Executive Francis Mathea, which has hindered development.
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The officer has since obtained court orders restraining her removal from office pending hearing and determination of her suit challenging the chamber’s resolution.
Speaking during the flagging off of a consignment of drugs worth Sh72 million to various health centres, Mbugua said the county had devolved its procurement process.
“People are talking about procurement in the county in an ignorant manner and even targeting some officers. That is very ignorant as it is not one officer who is doing procurement in Nakuru,” he said. The governor said the procurement of the drugs from the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) was done through the county procurement process.
“The procurement process in the county has been devolved and each sector has its own procurement,” he added.
The decision by the assembly to adopt a report recommending Ms Masaku be redeployed to the Transition Authority has caused sharp division among local leaders.
