MCAs start citizenship investigation on two ‘absentee’ executives

Governor Paul Chepkwony. [File: Standard]

Kericho members of the county assembly are investigating two members of the executive committee to ascertain their nationalities.

The MCAs said they wanted to establish if the two, who were headhunted by Governor Paul Chepkwony, hold dual citizenship.

Mr Chepkwony picked Moses Langat from UK’s Surrey University to head the education, culture and social services department and Geoffrey Ruto, the executive for forestry, environment and disaster management).

Mr Ruto is an environmental specialist who has worked for US military.

The two applied for leave and flew out of the country soon after being sworn in and have missed the launching of several projects under their respective dockets.

Hezron Kipngeno, the county assembly leader of the majority, said the two were being investigated.

“We have launched investigations with a view of establishing Dr Langat and Mr Ruto’s true citizenship status. There are fears that the executive committee members in question hold dual citizenship. The Constitution doesn’t allow persons who holds dual citizenship to hold a public office,” he said.

Paul Chirchir, the Kapsoit MCA, expressed concern about the long absence of the officials, who had been said to have gone to hand over to their previous employers.

Expressed concern

“Dr Langat and Mr Ruto must demonstrate that they are committed to serving Kericho residents,” he said.

But Langat, in a response to Mr Chirchir, argued that he had yet to be fully inducted as an employee of Kericho County since he had to first resign from his current job.

“There is a legal procedure which I am using. Before then, I have been working in the United Kingdom. If I do anything for Kericho County, it is pro bono as one can’t earn two salaries. I will be there (Kericho) soon,” he said.

The MCAs locked horns with Governor Chepkwony during the vetting of the CECs, which culminated in the rejection of Alice Mutai, whom governor Chepkwony had nominated to the agriculture, livestock and fisheries docket.

The vetting committee chaired by Dominic Rono, the assembly speaker, observed that the PhD holder from Egerton University did not have qualifications and experience relevant to the docket she had been nominated for as required by section 35 (3) (d) of the County Government Act, 2012.