Governor Godhana defends plan to relocate Hola

Tana River County Governor Dhadho Godhana is determined to move county headquarters from Hola to Dayate village. [Beverlyne Musili, Standard]

Tana River County Governor Dhadho Godhana has defended plans to relocate county headquarters from Hola town to Dayate village 

The plan has been opposed by some residents who accuse the governor of not consulting on the matter.

The proposal has been criticised by some leaders including Wayu Ward MCA Sadam Hussein who says it will displace herders in the area.

But speaking at a baraza at Mikinduni village in Galole Constituency on Sunday, Governor Godhana appealed to the Orma community not to panic over the proposed relocation saying that his aim was to take development to their area.

He said that the expansive land in Wayu ward has neither piped water nor electricity and that relocation the county offices there would bring it closer to development.

Development

“Our aim is to bring a lot of development to our people, our population is growing rapidly and we need to improve our economy, “he said.

The governor took issue with an unnamed officer in his government who he accused of using the social media to incite residents of Dayate to reject the proposed construction of county headquarters in their area.

“Some people have seen surveyors in Dayate and they are telling residents that we shall chase them away from the area,” he said.

He called on the official to seek clarification on the issue before inciting residents against the relocation idea.

The relocation was announced two weeks. The governor also announced plans to build a new level five hospital at Balgudha in Wayu ward.

The proposed new headquarters will be about 30 kilometres from Hola.

Among the institutions to be shifted under the governor’s urbanisation programme include the Hola GK prison which will be moved to Matanya.

The new county offices will be put up within farms in the collapsed Hola irrigation scheme.