Tana River Governor appoints rivals to Cabinet for peace’s sake

By Paul Gitau

Tana River, Kenya: In an effort to promote peaceful cohesion in clash-prone county of Tana River, Governor Hussein Dado has nominated members of both political divide to his 10-member cabinet.

Dado’s long awaited cabinet includes one of his competitors in the gubernatorial race in an effort, he says, will bring cohesion among communities living in the county.??

He has nominated Jire Siyat Mohamed, who will head the Justice and Constitutional Affairs docket and Adam Barissa Dhidha, who unsuccessfully contested the gubernatorial seat, for Trade Development and Industry docket.

In his quest to unite members of various communities who have been perennial rivals, the Governor sought a balance, with most indigenous communities represented in the County Government and the Public Service Board while at the same time considering professionalism.??

Another unsuccessful candidate for the governor’s position, Dr. Mandara Badribu, was nominated as the County Economic Advisor and Eunice Mungatana, cousin to former Garsen MP Danson Mungatana, to head the Culture, Social Services, Gender and Sports docket.

Unveiling the cabinet and the Public Service Board at the Tana River County Assembly building, Dado said his first priority was to ensure all the communities co-exist peacefully and that clashes witnessed between August 2012 and January this year do not occur again.

?“I have included even those who viewed against me so that we can have cohesion.  My first mission as the Governor of this County is to bring peace in this County and I appeal to all communities to give peace a chance,” he said.

Noting that the county faces a myriad of challenges, the Governor promised to consider some communities that are not represented in the executive committee for other County Staff jobs.