Shake-up at City Hall as changes effected

By Standard Reporter and Peter Atsiaya

The Ministry of Local Government has appointed a new deputy Town Clerk at City Hall, Nairobi.

Mr Joseph Malinda was moved from Narok County Council to take up the position at City Hall after Godfrey Katsolle was promoted to become the Thika Municipal Town Clerk.

Malinda was previously the clerk at Narok and will deputise Town Clerk Philip Kisia.

Malinda confirmed yesterday he had moved to City Hall after an interview conducted by the Public Service Commission.

City Hall treasurer Jacob Munge was last month transferred to Mavoko Municipal Council in the same capacity in changes announced by Mr Kisia.Mr John Ngugi replaced Munge in an acting capacity.

Nairobi City Council has been in the news in the past months due to debts amounting to more than Sh30 billion owed service providers. Only about Sh10 billion of this appears in council books.

Last month, the ministry issued an alert over the declining revenue collection at City Hall, saying it affected its operations.

Kisia blamed the drop in revenue collection on corrupt employees whom he said were diverting collections. He ordered a shake-up in the revenue collection department to break up the cartels.

Meanwhile, the Association of Local Government Authorities of Kenya has opposed plans by Local Government Minister Musalia Mudavadi to reduce the number of nominated councillors.

Chairman Josiah Kores said Mr Mudavadi’s proposal was unwise and unacceptable.

"We are aware that he has proposed slashing the number of nominated councillors and we will resist the move," said the Ol Kejuado County Council chairman.

He said Mudavadi did not consult councillors over the move. Kores was speaking yesterday at a Kisumu hotel during the second day of the association’s meeting.

Idle councillors

Secretary-General Hamisi Mboga and Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello accompanied Kores.

Cabinet is yet to approve the reviewing of Cap 265 to facilitate reforms in local authorities. Mudavadi reportedly made the proposal in a bid to cut down costs in civic bodies.

The minister, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, argued that most of the nominated councillors were idle yet they drew a lot of money in allowances from the councils.