Blow to Baringo governor as MCAs reject 19 chief officer nominees

Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi has suffered a setback after MCAs rejected 19 chief officer nominees.

The row over the nominees has split the ward representatives with one group backing the governor and another allied to Deputy Governor Felix Maiyo.

MCAs who rejected the nominees claim Baringo Central sub-county was left out and the list was sent to the assembly without the nominees' CVs.

But before the list was made public, Mr Maiyo, who was picked to replace his late father Charles Kipng'ok as the deputy governor, posted in a WhatsApp group, his father's photo with a caption lamenting how he had let him (father) down and sought forgiveness.

"I'm sorry to have failed in delivering your wishes. Please forgive me. Continue resting in peace dad," Maiyo wrote.

A few days later, the deputy governor while attending a function in Tenges area, said things were not good.

Assembly Majority Whip Ernest Kibet revealed that the relationship between the governor and his deputy hit rock bottom when Cheboi nominated County Secretary Jacob Chepkwony, who served under former Governor Stanley Kiptis.

Kibet, who is Kabarnet MCA claimed Maiyo was in the dark over the nomination and had been sidelined.

"There is mistrust, lack of consultation and it is like the governor does not want to transfer the respect he had for King'ok to the son," Kibet claimed.

"The governor kept the list a secret for eight months, only to bring it to our attention now. We have submitted the list of chief officers for due process, we needed collaborative documents, attachments, information such as where they were sourced from if there was an interview conducted," he added.

But Governor Cheboi dismissed claims of a rift between him and his deputy, saying they were rumours from persons with selfish interests.

"I have been working closely with my deputy, like today, he was in Tiaty and Marigat representing me, our relationship is still strong," he said.

He also denied keeping the list of chief officer nominees secret, saying he sent a letter to the assembly indicating the names.

But he admitted to receiving a letter requesting the CVs of the nominees before vetting.