KAJIADO, Kenya, Feb 15 – Over 20 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) affiliated to the UDA and Jubilee parties in Kajiado staged a walkout while the County Governor Joseph ole Lenku was addressing the opening of the Second Session of the Third Assembly after a long recess.
Speaking to the press after walking out, the MCAs accused the executive of a wide range of issues namely; exclusion from bursary distribution, non-payment of contractors, a ballooning wage bill and non-implementation of previous pledges.
The team led by the Leader of Majority Mr. John Loisa and Chief Whip Mr. Stephen Ngatho, the MCAs said that they have been sidelined by the governor on bursary distribution.
“Some of us were denied the chance to issue bursaries in our wards. It is unfortunate that the governor is using village administrators to distribute the same thus denying needy children a chance for education,” said Loisa
Mbiriri Mwaura, Ngong ward MCA revealed that they have not been allowed to change the ward committees yet they are the patrons.
“We cannot take orders from the village administrators since we were elected by the residents and not the village administrators. Denying us a chance to work is equal to denying the residents their rights as they elected us to work for them,” said Mbiriri
The ward representative for lIoodokilani Mr. Johnathan Saigilu asked the governor to deliver the 9-point agenda he had promised Kajiado residents during the opening of the third assembly.
The ward representatives also took issue with the executive hiring new employees through the back door yet it had frozen new recruitments due to the surging wage bill. Additionally, the MCAs blamed the governor for giving empty promises on pending bills.
They said that contractors were already avoiding taking development works in Kajiado due to non-payment, an issue that the County boss had agreed to address in his last speech to the House.
In response to the allegations, the Governor termed the walkout as side shows which cannot distract him from his work.
Kajiado Senator Mr. Samuel Seki who was present in the assembly said that he understands the MCAs’ frustrations and urged governor Lenku to resolve the stalemate so that the people of Kajiado get the services they deserve.
“I can understand the frustrations of the MCAs, who are fed up with the manner in which the county government has been dishing out bursaries to selective wards based on political considerations,” said Seki.
“I urge the governor to reflect on this unnecessary torture of our young learners and move speedily to resolve the matter by treating all wards in the county equitably and with fairness,” he added.
The Speaker, Mr. Justus Ngossor urged the MCAs to take their mandate seriously in order to discharge their duties for the good of the people of Kajiado County.
