Six months in office, governors in South Rift region continue to face challenges in setting up their governments

A section of new governors are yet to fully constitute their governments and initiate new development projects.

Most governors have been held back by a high wage bill, unpaid debts and stalled projects they inherited from their predecessors.

Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso toppled outspoken Chama Cha Mashinani leader Isaac Ruto with promises of development projects and efficiency in running county affairs.

However, as Dr Laboso settled into office, she learnt that 40 per cent of the county budget was going towards staff salaries hence reducing development funds.

An ad hoc committee set up to conduct a staff audit recommended reduction of numbers which would have seen more than 6,000 employees sent home.

This sparked outcry from county staff hired on contract and they moved to court to block the decision to remove them from the payroll.

Among those affected are ward administrators, village and area administrators and county enforcement officers.

The Employment and Labour Relation Court sitting in Kericho however, threw out the case by former staff but they moved to the Court of Appeal.

Like in other counties several projects initiated by former Governor Ruto’s administration have been left in a limbo with contractors demanding millions of shillings in unpaid debts.

Interestingly, there are projects initiated by the former regime that were not completed despite money being appropriated by the assembly and approved.

“Those ECDE classes will be completed but an audit is underway to know whether the contractors were paid but failed to do the work or left the projects hanging due to lack of pay,” Laboso said when she launched construction of ECDE classes in Bomet East.

The Bomet governor also launched construction of 200km road which is key for transportation of farm produce.

In Baringo County the appointment of chief officers to run the administration was clouded in drama.

Six months into his administration, Governor Stanley Kiptis has been accused of spending time out of the county. In the last three months, he has visited Germany, South Korea and Malaysia, which residents say was unnecessary.

The recent fire outbreak that destroyed business premises worth millions of shillings in the CBD exposed Kiptis administration’s ineptitude as there was no working fire engine.

“This is crazy. The county has no fire engine and we watched as the fire destroyed businesses right in the county headquarters barely 500 metres from the fire station where fire engines lay there because they had not been serviced,” said Peter Rono, a resident.

Nothing has come forth

Civil society groups have expressed concern over failure by governor to put in place qualified staff to steer his development agenda and jump-start the failing health and water sectors.

Baringo Civil Society Chairperson Isaiah Biwott, claimed that nothing has come forth since the governor took office.

“We have not seen anything, development projects have stalled, and other governors moved on long time ago and have something to show to their people and country at large,” said Mr Biwott.

Delay to appoint chief officers has been blamed for failure of the county government to initiate development projects.

“The governor should move fast, the people of Baringo need development, make use of development funds allocated to the county and serve your people,” he said.

Godfrey Kipsoi, Program coordinator at the Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance (CEDGG) said it is not clear why nothing has come forth since Kiptis took office.

Mr Kipsoi noted that more funds will be rolled over as the financial year is coming to an end.

Moses Lemeluk, a resident accused the governor of making false promises. “The county is even worse, there is nothing tangible, we were wrong to vote Cheboi out,” said Lemeluk.

Kiptis in his speech during the opening of Baringo County Assembly said his vision is to unite Baringo and empower residents.

“We should always work together seamlessly like two different functional parts of the same machine. We should soldier on in one accord in championing the cause of prosperity for our great people. Divided we will certainly fall; but together we shall definitely thrive,” read his speech in part.

In Nakuru County, Governor Lee Kinyanjui is facing challenges hiring chief officers after nominated Senator Victor Pringei moved to court to block the nine from taking office saying their nomination was in violation of the law.

Although the Employment and Labour Relations Court allowed the vetting of chief officers, the issues surrounding their appointment have been rolled over to the county assembly.

Governor Kinyanjui has also been forced to work with 115 senior staff he had suspended over alleged corrupt practices after they successfully secured court orders to block their dismissal pending investigations.

However, the governor has managed to put in place his cabinet, which he said comprises of professionals with experience in public management.

Kinyanjui also faces a somewhat hostile assembly that has passed a law to ensure that 24 per cent of the county’s annual development funds go to projects at ward level.

The governor is yet to assent to the County Revenue Allocation Bill, 2014, which was passed by the assembly last month.

Although the he has downplayed the effect the law would have to his transformational agenda. Analysts say Kinyanjui will have to negotiate with MCAs in order to implement his manifesto that focuses on health, revival of agriculture and creating employment of youth.

“The County Revenue Allocation Bill is likely to undermine the governor’s transformational agenda because it gives powers to MCAs in consultations with Ward administrators and wanaichi to determine the project to be implemented,” noted Andrew Nyabuto, a governance expert.

Shrug off campaign promises

Kinyanjui has shrugged off the challenges saying he has managed to put in place a team to help him deliver on his development agenda.

“We have had challenges especially in the appointment of chief officers but that matter will be sorted out soon by the court,” he said.

University of Eldoret lecturer, Dr Philip Chebunet said the new governors have been struggling to shrug off campaign promises most of which did not have any financial backing.

He noted that most new governors came into office with plans to boost development.

“The new administrations are struggling to please the electorate. The expectations are high and most of them want to undo the damages of previous administrations,” Dr Chebunet said.

He added, “Some governors have also started thinking of second term unlike the others in second term whose main objective is legacy which is not a priority.”

Dr Chebunet further said that most new administrations made too many promises which are now chocking their agaenda.

“The sycophants and sponsors promised jobs are on their necks, this has made them confused. Some have no capacity to perform, the political parties carried and aided these weaklings to win elections and now push has come to shove,” he adds.

He however advised the governors to shun politics and push for prudent use of resources.

The lecturer said counties must prioritise the fight against corruption and misuse of public resources, minimise wastage, implement Jubilee agenda and build capacity of county staff to deliver their agenda.