Nakuru: A senior officer at the county government of Nakuru found himself in a tight spot when he was invited to address a Pesa Mashinani campaign meeting cum fund raiser in Kuresoi South Constituency at the weekend.
Joseph Tanui, the chief officer for education, was an invited guest at the fund raiser at Nukiat Primary School that was turned into a referendum rally by governors Isaac Ruto (Bomet) and Paul Chepkwony (Kericho) who are spearheading the Pesa Mashinani campaign in the Rift Valley region.
Area MP Zakayo Cheruiyot, who hosted event, caught Tanui unawares when he invited him to address the gathering. Tanui was there for the fund raiser and did not expect to be among the speakers.
"We have the Nakuru County education chief officer who has come to join us. Let him come to the podium and tell us why his boss Governor Kinuthia Mbugua does not want more funds to the counties," said the MP, as the crowd cheered on.
Tanui, who had just arrived at the venue, said he was there to raise funds for the school's classroom project and not for the Pesa Mashinani.
Other avenues
He, however, told the Bomet Governor and his Kericho counterpart to exploit other avenues in their quest to have more funds devolved to counties instead of subjecting Kenyans to a costly referendum.
"It is true Kenyans need more money at the county level for development, but we should not use that as an excuse to put the country in a perpetual political environment that will make it difficult for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy to deliver on their pre-election pledges," he said.
Tanui, who contested the Kuresoi South parliamentary seat but lost to Cheruiyot, challenged the pro-referendum campaigners to engage the Jubilee government in a constructive manner instead of holding public rallies that were causing political temperatures to rise across the country.
"The Jubilee government has shown its commitment to ensure devolution succeeds. There are other avenues that governors can pursue," he said.
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