Vihiga MCAs want clerk shown the door over incompetence

By  ERIC LUNGAI

VIHIGA COUNTY, KENYA: Vihiga Members of the County Assembly want the House’s interim Clerk Josphat Musambayi shown the door.

Led by Majority Leader Andrew Ahuga, the MCAs said they were dissatisfied with the way the clerk was running the affairs of the assembly even as Musambayi defended himself against incompetency claims.

“We are lagging behind because of the way the county assembly conducts its affairs thanks largely to the interim clerk’s incompetence. We want him sacked and someone who is competent can help us move forward,” said Mr Ahuga, who is also the North Maragoli Ward Representative.

The MCAs were addressing journalists in the assembly hall after the Speaker, Daniel Chitwa, adjourned the sittings for lack of a quorum, as the Leader of Majority sought to move a motion to impeach the clerk.

Ahuga noted that the clerk had caused confusion in the House by contradicting motions that are passed by the members.

“The refurbishing of the county assembly is taking place without proper planning and millions of shillings are disappearing into individual pockets,” the aggrieved Ahuga said.

But Musambayi, in a separate interview, blamed the stand-off with MCAs on what he termed miscommunication.

“I am currently organising a meeting of all MCAs in Eldoret where we can thrash out various issues,” said Musambayi, who declined to respond to the claims of incompetence.

Abdicating duties

The MCAs also expressed anger over the delay in constituting a public service board.

Majority Chief Whip Abdalla Chogo said the clerk has been abdicating his duties, which had paralysed the assembly’s operations.“We cannot force someone to work for us when his interests are lying somewhere else. We do not have proper structures in the assembly eight months down the line because of the clerk,” he said.