Governor Kimemia calls crisis meet to address stand-off

Governor Francis Kimemia chaired a crisis meeting in connection with wrangles in the county assembly that have paralysed operations.

Mr Kimemia, his deputy, Cecilia Mbuthia, and the two warring factions of ward representatives retreated to a hotel in Naivasha on Saturday in an attempt to resolve the differences.

Also in attendance were embattled Speaker Ndegwa Wahome, Senator Mwangi Githiomi and Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho.

“The governor is trying to reconcile all the concerned leaders as the stalemate has adversely affected county operations,” said a source at the meeting.

Professionals from the area attributed the stand-off in the assembly to corruption and embezzlement of public funds, which they claimed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) had failed to investigate.

The chairman of the Caucus for Nyandarua Professionals, Moses Kiarie, accused the Executive of creating divisions in the county "that has over the years enjoyed relative peace".

“This is a matter of theft of public resources and not wrangles as some may want us to believe. It is high time we started investigating how money is being spent in our county,” Dr Kiarie said.

Former Nyandarua Deputy Governor Waithaka Mwangi said he did not have faith in the EACC conducting investigations because the anti-graft body had been hired by the county government to train members of the executive on integrity.

“We want the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Director of Public Prosecutions to move with speed and investigate these claims and bring to book those who have plundered public resources,” Mr Mwangi said.