Makueni's battleground

Makueni Governor Prof Kibwana(L)in this file picture

GOVERNOR Kivutha Kibwana’s nominees for the Makueni Public Service Board have been rejected by the County Assembly.

The rejection is the latest show of defiance by the County Assembly on the authority of Governor Kibwana.
The Assembly rejected all seven nominees for the County Public Service Board after the list was placed before the house for consideration. The rejected nominees are Benjamin Mutie (chairman) and Martin Mutua, Mary Munee, Dr. Boniface Wambua, Rachael Muthoka Jacqueline Munguni who were proposed as members.
The 30 Members of County Assembly (MCAs) debated the names at length with some members proposing to have them passed while others opposed outright. But is was clear from the onset that most appeared to have made up their minds before the list surfaced. They had no time for a presentation from the assembly’s Committee on Appointments, recommending the approval of six out of the seven members.
The indicators hung on the wall when the Vice-Chairman of the committee Bernard Kiswii- and not the chairman-tabled the committee’s report on the nominees before the house.
County Representative for Mavindini Ward Mr Martin Mutuku who is an avowed opponent of Prof Kivutha’s initiatives in the house shot up and immediately opposed its approval alleging that some of the proposed members were public servants who were unwilling to relinquish their positions to work in the board. It is alleged that Mr Mutua, Dr Wambua, Ms Munguni and Ms Munee are lecturers employed either by the Teachers Service Commission or other state institutions  and are unwilling to quit and join the County Public Service Board. We could not however independently verify this claim.
It is also alleged that one of them was involved the embezzlement of public funds when at the helm of a public funded project besides being partisan.
The Mavindni county representative said it would be improper for the assembly to approve such members considering that the county public service board demanded full time employees.
“It is detrimental for this house to approve civil servants for this job as it requires only those who can work on full time basis,” he said.  When Speaker Ngelu put the question, those opposed carried the day by acclimation.
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