The Kajiado County Assembly has rejected three County Executive Committee Member (CECM) nominees recently appointed by Governor Joseph Lenku in his second term, sparking political tensions between the executive and the assembly.
According to reports, the nine-member Appointments Committee chaired by Assembly Speaker Justus Ngussur rejected the Kajiado North Constituency nominees in what dissenting MCAs saw as a “biased and tribalized” process influenced by external forces.
Given the party’s control of the majority of MCAs in the assembly, the United Democratic Alliance “County big boys” are said to have flexed their political muscles.
They are said to have used their numerical advantage to elevate former Ewuaso-Kedong Ward MCA to the position of speaker.
Governor Lenku had nominated former Nkaimurunya MCA Waichanguru Ndirangu (Roads, Public Works, Transport, and Energy), Anne Njeri Wakaria (Gender, Culture, Tourism, and Wildlife), and Janet Sereu ( Trade, Investments and Enterprise Development).
Waichanguru from Nkaimurunya Ward and Wakaria from Ngong Ward were to fill Kajiado North’s two executive positions, while Sereu from Magadi Ward was to replace former Health Executive Esther Somoire, who left the county in July for Kemsa.
The vote-rich Kajiado North constituency remains a favorite of any politician with lofty political ambitions or who is willing to reward his supporters.
Waichaguru withdrew from the committee approval process just before it started, citing a “political witch hunt by external forces” who were using the committee as a puppet to settle political conflicts.
Both UDA and ODM MCAs have slammed the Speaker on the floor and outside the Assembly for leading the rejection of the nominees for “unsatisfactory and vexatious” reasons and ignoring the principles that led to their nomination.
Governor Lenku previously stated that the nominations from Kajiado North were made to promote inclusivity, regional balancing, and Gender and Youth interests. “If you look at them, you can see how they fit into our way of ensuring we maintain various interests,” Governor Lenku explained.
Several UDA MCAs who spoke to Nation in private to avoid party repercussions strongly condemned the manner in which the names were gathered.
“Pursuant to section 7(8) and section 8 of the Public Appointments Act 2017 and section 35(3) of the county government act 2012, the committee observed that the following nominees met the integrity threshold but did not demonstrate knowledge of topical, administrative and technical issues touching on the portfolios to which they were nominated, “read part of the report.
Adding that:”…as well as demonstrating the requisite abilities and experience to be approved for appointment to the department they have been they have been nominated to.”
The report clarified that the three scored below the committee’s 70% pass mark.
MCA Oloolua Eli Gor led the Azimio colleagues on the committee in writing a minority report in support of the nominees’ reinstatement.
Gor, Minority Leader Isaac Kiresian, Bernard Moloma (Kenyawa Poka), and nominated MCA Judy Nkaabata all accused the Assembly leadership of favoring “external partisan political interests” over a fair evaluation of nominees.
Moloma warned the Speaker that the ill-fated rejection would come back to haunt them.
Governor Lenku’s cabinet remains incomplete following the rejection of the three executive nominees, with three CECMs serving in acting capacities in affected departments.
Lenku kept seven of his first-term ministers who were not approved by the assembly.
