Nyeri Assembly Speaker asks Ward reps to stop endless squabbles with county bosses

Nyeri County Assembly Speaker James Gichuhi. [File, Standard]

Members of the County Assembly can discharge their legislation, representation and oversight roles without constant confrontations with the Executive, Nyeri County Assembly Speaker James Gichuhi has said. 

“Our regular consultations with the House leadership and leaders in the Assembly and with the members of the Executive have seen us being rated as the best in keeping the Executive in check,” he said.

He said contrary to popular belief that for the Assembly to be seen to be discharging their mandate, then they must oppose bills and other policy frameworks fronted by the Executive, the move, he noted would only hurt the electorate. “The infighting between MCAs and governor and his cabinet will only hamper development projects at the grassroots level with the allocations being returned to the Exchequer,” Gichuhi noted.

Kiambu and Meru governors Kimani Wamatangi and Kawira Mwangaza respectively are engaged in a standoff with the ward representatives with the latter’s fate lying before the Senate after she was impeached recently for the second time. The infighting in counties has led to the impeachments of county bosses or their executives.

Development projects

The move has alarmed the Council of Governors (COG) which has called for the raising of the threshold of removing governors through amendment of Section 33 of the County Governments Act, 2012 to be amended and harmonised with provisions of law for the removal of MPs to ensure the equal application of the law.

 “Disharmony results in delays, sabotage, stagnation, and a lack of implementation of critical development projects, which are some of the development implications of the impeachments,” Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru the COG chairperson said.

While observing that taxpayers pay a high price for the impeachment process as a result of the stagnation of the development projects, Governor Waiguru noted there was an imbalance in the commitment of resources to their primary functions due to the distracting demands brought about by the impeachment process.

“MCAs have been steadfast in strict adherence to the dictates of public participation, for instance, they have maintained that only the disadvantaged should benefit from hospital waivers and since they adhere to our Assembly guidance we have had no hitches,” Gichuhi noted

Gichuhi, who is a former Tetu MP also advised the elected leaders to utilise most of their time lobbying for development projects instead of politicking. 

He said they will continue to push for the financial autonomy of the County Assemblies.