Ranguma given three months to vacate as row over offices hots up

Former Nyanza provincial headquarters building which is now the office of Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma and whose name has been changed to Prosperity House. [Photo: File/Standard]

A fresh row has emerged between the Kisumu County administration and the national government over the ownership of former Nyanza Provincial Headquarters building.

Governor Jack Ranguma has now three months, from October 30, to vacate the building that currently hosts the county government offices after Nyanza Regional Co-ordinator Francis Mutie's stern notice ahead of repossession of the premises.

In a confidential letter addressed to Mr Ranguma and seen by The Standard, Mr Mutie has directed the county chief to make arrangements for an alternative location to give space to national and international agencies, which he said were facing an acute shortage of working space.

Mutie accused the governor of undermining the national government's ownership rights of the building by attempting to take over and illegally change the name of the building.

"Despite the co-operation and mutual respect anticipated, severally you have tried to deliberately undermine the ownership rights of the national government over the building through attempted illegal name changes and wanton unauthorised occupation of offices," read the letter in part.

The standoff started in 2013 when Ranguma took over the building to use as the county headquarters.

Original name

He then changed its name to 'Prosperity House', deleting the original name of Nyanza Provincial Headquarters. The move angered the regional coordinator who came in and reverted to the previous name.

The two governments are now bracing for a battle for the control of the 16-storey building which also hosts national, regional and international agencies like Huduma Centre, Kisumu county commissioner, Nyanza regional co-ordinator, Japan International Co-operation Agency, and Lake Victoria Basin Commission, among others.

Ranguma has now written to the Transition Authority to clarify the matter which threatens cohesion between officers from the two governments.

The governor wants the two governments allowed to use the building as long as it serves the interests of the people.

He dismissed claims the building belonged to the national government, saying it was for Kenyans who are served by both administrations.

"The assets have not even been allocated to either governments by the Transition Authority and so we are not moving. That is wishful thinking. Even the authority gives assets after considering the need of both governments. We are using six floors and that shows you that we need it," said Ranguma.

He said the county had co-operated with the national government and had recently allowed the Lake Basin Authority space within the building.

The county has already invested over Sh100 million to renovate a number of offices used by its staff, with the latest being the ninth floor which accommodates the governor's office.

Ranguma's office has also procured elevators, which are expected to be fixed before the end of the year, but these advancements did not augur well with the regional co-ordinator who described the building as a "structure of immense importance" to the entire nation and the international agencies it accommodates.

Mutie has insisted the county administration was given temporary accommodation in the national government buildings and Kisumu must make alternative arrangements to relocate within 90 days.

"This (Nyanza regional co-ordinator) office is under firm instruction from the principal secretary in the Interior ministry to fully repossess the accommodation you were offered at our premises as soon as possible," read the letter.