Meru Municipality board nominee rejected by assembly

Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri with Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi at Marimba farm in Meru County on August 10, 2018. [Olivia Murithi/Standard]

The county assembly has rejected a nominee to the municipality board.

Governor Kiraitu Murungi had picked Karimi Mworia, a former ambassador to the Netherlands and Czech Republic, to join eight others on the Meru Municipality Board.

In addition to her ambassadorial assignments, Mrs Mworia served as the national committee chairperson of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Centres of Excellence.

Edward Buria, Harrison Marete, David Kaberia, Carlpeters Mbaabu, Lillian Karegi, Jacob Koome, Francis Kiruja and Isaac Gikundi were approved. The majority of the members of the land, economic and physical planning committee vetoed Mworia's nomination as a few MCAs, led by Esther Karimi, opposed the list on the grounds that it did not comply with the Constitution.

Committee chairman Kithinji Ringera said Mworia was rejected because she failed to present vital documents.

Mr Ringera noted that Mworia, although possessing the needed qualifications and experience in leadership, did not have clearance from the Kenya Revenue Authority, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Higher Education Loans Board.

“She did not present the clearance documents that revolve around Chapter Six of the Constitution. We sought to establish whether all were fit for the positions,” he said.

Ms Karimi, who is a nominated MCA, urged her colleagues not to approve any of the nominees, saying the composition of the board would be against the law.

She said only two of the nine members nominated to sit on the board were women, and none represented the youth, people living with disabilities or ethnic minorities.

“This means the composition does not meet the constitutional threshold that no more than two-thirds of any elective or appointive bodies should be of the same gender,” said Karimi.

She further noted that the nominations flouted Section 13(3) of the Urban Areas and Cities Act, 2011, which is the principle appointing law.

The eight new members will elect a chairperson and vice chairperson during their first sitting.