Leaders snub event, blame game soars

Officials from the county government boycotted Madaraka Day celebrations in Kilifi town yesterday and accused the area county commissioner Joseph Keter of being a dictator.

Although Governor Amason Kingi is away in US, his deputy Kennedy Kamto and county executives never showed up at the function held at Karisa Maitha grounds.

All the members of the county assembly also stayed away.

Mr Keter blamed the County Secretary Owen Baya for the boycott claiming he had been consulting with him over the function on behalf of the governor.

"I think the person to be blame is the county secretary Mr Baya as he is the person I was communicating with on the issues of the celebrations on behalf of governor Kingi," said Mr Keter.

But Mr Baya, who also did not attend the function, accused Keter of being dictatorial. Baya claims Keter does not respect local leaders.

"Our county commissioner is applying dictatorship and fails to recognise county government leadership. This has sullied working relations between the two arms of government," said Baya.

Kilifi North MP Gideon Mungaro who attended the function accused officials of the county administration of sabotaging the celebration.