Governor Francis Kimemia sacks four CECs over poor performance

Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia.

Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia, has sacked four members of his executive, moments after holding a cabinet meeting to review performance for the last two years they have been in office.

The four were sacked at midnight on Wednesday just a few minutes after they left the meeting at the county headquarters in Ol Kalou township.

Those shown the door were; the executive committee member in charge of water, tourism and natural resources Simon Ng’ang’a, Muthoni Wamuiya of trade and cooperatives, Faith Mbugua of education and social services, ICT and Public administration Kariuki Mbataru.

Mr Mbataru was facing an impeachment motion at the county assembly over allegations of gross misconduct. He had managed to obtain a court order stopping the process.

A communique from the Governor's Press Unit --- send to media houses some minutes past midnight and signed by Mr Kimemia stated that the sacking was meant to enhance service delivery in the county.

“As the two-year contract term for my county executive committee members nears completion, and as we begin the new financial year July 2019 to June 2020, it has become necessary to reinvigorate my transformation agenda through injection of new strategic competences for optical performance and accountability to the citizenry,” the statement read.

The statement further gave a list of those to replace the sacked officers.

Ms Wamuiya was replaced by Raphael Njui who hails from Kinangop while Ndaragwa parliamentary aspirant in 2017 Charles Ndungu Wachira took over the water docket replacing Mr Nganga

Ms Ann Gathigia takes over at the ICT docket replacing Mr Mbataru whose name has since been forwarded to the county public service board as a special advisor.

Mr Stephen Mwaura has been nominated to take over as the CEC in charge of education and social services replacing Mrs Mbugua.

The Governor directed that Mr Dominic Murani who is CEC in charge of Youth and sports to run the department of education in an acting capacity while James Karitu (agriculture) will serve in the industrialization department in a similar manner.

Lawrence Mukundi, who is in charge of lands, will be the acting boss in the department of water while finance Mary Mugwanja will act in the ICT department as the names of nominees await vetting by the county assembly.

In the new changes, Governor Kimemia also recommended Chege Mugo and Kevin Ikua to the county public service board as his advisors.

Analysts argue that the participation of some of the former CECs in 2022 electioneering might have forced the governor to drop them.

Mr Nganga is popularly known as 'Unicore' is said to be eyeing the Ndaragwa parliamentary seat while Ms Mbugua has interests in Ol Jororok parliamentary seat.

“The governor has also brought politicians on board as part of his team having brought in former Laikipia Senator aspirant Ndungu Wangenye to the roads docket. Mr Njui ran for Kinangop parliamentary seat while Wachira ran for the Ndaragwa seat, said Mr Samuel Gacheru, a political activist.