Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua tells off senator over funds

By Antony Gitonga and Leonard Kulei           

Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has hit out at County Senator James Mungai as the war of words between the two went a notch higher.

An incensed Mbugua accused Mungai of engaging in a smear campaign.

“A politician who is always in Nairobi is going around inciting members of the public on the funds allocated to this county,” he said.

In a thinly veiled attack on Mungai, the governor called on the senator to concentrate on his duties and leave county affairs to him.

He said the Sh5.9 billion allocated to the county was its share of funds given to the devolved units by the national Government and the senator did not play any role in its disbursement.

“I may be a quiet person but I am not a coward,” he said.

On Monday, the senator took the county government to task over a drop in revenue collection.

But addressing the Press after touring the Mai Mahiu health centre in Naivasha, Mbugua said his concern was the county’s ballooning wage bill.

He noted that of the Sh5.9 billion allocated to the county, Sh4.2 billion had gone towards paying salaries for workers inherited from former councils.

“We have seen other counties going for bigger things but in Nakuru we are concerned with the things that affect the electorate directly,” he said.

He said the county had set aside Sh60 million to procure drugs.

“We have managed to resume water supply to the Mai Mahiu health centre and the sanitation issues in Mai Mahiu town will be addressed,” he said.

On IDP woes, Mbugua said he would take up the matter with the national government after former chairman of the defunct Nakuru County Council John Murigo informed him that some were still in camps.

“We have close to 100 IDPs who have documents to prove that they are genuine but are yet to resettled,” he said.

Meanwhile, Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi yesterday suspended the on-going eviction of residents from Kamnarok National Reserve by the Kenya Wildlife Service pending a report by a task force on a boundary tussle that has threatened implementation of a 1983 gazette notice.

“I have commissioned a task-force comprising members of the public, county government officials, conservationists and interest groups to look into the matter,” he told The Standard on phone.