Kilifi County Assembly reject Kingi's Chief Officers

Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi

The county assembly has voted to reject the appointment of five chief officers by the executive.

Members of the county assembly (MCAs) said the administration of Governor Amason Kingi violated the law in appointing occupants of the five contested posts.

Two-thirds of the MCAs present voted in support of the Motion that was tabled by Watamu ward MCA George Baya.

The MCAs argued that the Constitution was violated during the reappointment of chief officers Kenneth Kazungu (Roads) Adan Mohamed (Devolution), Joseph Nguzo (Lands), Patience Tsimba (Trade) and Kombe Ngari of Water.

They quoted Section 4 of the Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act, 2017 that provided that any appointment under the Constitution or any other written law for which the approval of the county assembly is required shall not be made unless the appointment is approved or deemed to have been approved by the county assembly in accordance with that Act.

The MCAs said Kingi issued appointment letters to the five chief officers contrary to the provisions of the County Government Act, 2012 and the Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act, 2017.

Efforts by the Leader of Majority Kadenge Mwathethe and the Orange party chief whip Alphonse Mwayaa to convince the assembly not to pass the Motion fell on deaf ears.

“Today we had a Motion disputing the appointment of chief officers and by bad luck the Motion sailed through, and this will affect service delivery for the next three months,” said Mwathethe.

He argued that even the national Government did not vet the Cabinet Secretaries that had retained their positions.

Mwayaa wondered why the officers could be subjected to fresh vetting yet they had served in the last government.

“The chief officers are accounting officers and there is nothing developmental that can work without them and that is why the governor though it wise to retain them,” he added.

Mr Baya, the mover of the Motion, said he did not have any ill motive in tabling the Motion but was defending the Constitution of Kenya.

“The chief officers were subjected to interviews and we were waiting for the names to be brought to the assembly, but the executive skipped the procedure that is why we are here today,” he added.

A dictator

Kakuyuni ward MCA Nickson Muramba said the governor was turning out to be a “dictator” by skipping the assembly in his appointments.

“The list was sent to the county assembly clerk through email, but again another email came in asking the clerk to revert the names and this is when the chief officers illegally received appointment letters from the governor,” he added.

Maitha Masha, the MCA for Jaribuni ward, who also chairs the Implementation Committee in the assembly, said they would ensure the assembly’s wish is respected.