Governors, deputies clash over roles and cash

There is a simmering row between Deputy Governors and their bosses. They have complained to the Senate that their positions have been rendered irrelevant since there was a lacuna in law on their distinct functions with most of them having opted to remain silent until the end of their terms in office in order to avoid conflict with Governors.

The Deputy Governors Caucus Chairperson Reuben Kamuri of Laikipia, led a team of deputies before the Senate Devolution Committee  where he revealed that 90 per cent of his colleagues  were idle as they have not been assigned any functions by their bosses.

The committee, chaired by Wajir Senator, Sheikh Abbass, noted that most counties have budget for the office of the Governor, while the Office of the Deputy Governor has no vote at all and that despite being regarded highly by their county residents they are not empowered to work.

“The issue at hand is about dignifying the Office of the Deputy Governor. It is not about competing with Governors but ensuring that there are clear cut roles for Deputy Governors so that we have uniformity not a few working well with their Governors while the rest are blacklisted,” said Kamuri.

He said that while he enjoys a good working relationship with Governor Joshua Irungu the same cannot be said of other Deputy Governors, some who are not invited to County Executive Committee meetings and their roles assigned to County Executive Committee members.

The Deputy Governors who appeared before the committee to make their contribution to the County Governments Amendment Bill 2024 sponsored by Senate Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi said that they want their roles to be backed up with financial allocation so that they can discharge their mandate.

They have proposed an amendment to the bill to have deputy governors attend the meetings of the County Executive Committee as a member of the Committee pursuant to Article 179(2) of the Constitution and be entitled to at least three days’ notice of the county executive meetings.

“We are recommending that the Deputy Governor shall chair all the County Executive Sub-committees, oversee the implementation of County Executive Committee resolutions across all Departments in the County and assist the Governor in the coordination and supervision of County Government Departments,” said Kamuri.

The Deputy Governors are seeking to oversee the County Government Service Delivery Unit responsible for the implementation of County government development projects across the country and attend Summit, Inter Budgetary Economic Council and sub-Committee meetings in the absence of the Governor.

They are seeking to coordinate disaster risk management, plan and supervise the implementation of disaster management and response within the County and perform any other function as may be assigned by the Governor.

They are seeking to have the County Governments make necessary budgetary provisions for proper functioning of the office of the Deputy Governor with a Chief Officer to be appointed to manage the affairs of the office of the Deputy Governor and an accountant assigned to the office to manage the vote head.

“During the General election we are elected jointly but when we come to office we can no longer work together well despite the role we played to come to office. We have professionals in our caucus and top notch experts who are ready to serve their country but not allowed to work,” said Kamuri.

However, Council of Governors Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi said that they are categorically rejecting the bill.

He told the Senators that if the  bill is passed,  it will weaken the governors executive authority.

Abdullahi said that the bill attempts to impose statutory duties on the Deputy Governors that are inconsistent with constitutional principles arguing that they should not have fixed statutory functions beyond deputizing the Governors.

“The Council of Governors categorically rejects the County Government Laws Amendment Bill since the constitution already delineates the Deputy Governor functions sufficiently, imposing additional rigid mandates infringes upon the Governors discretion contravening the constitution,” said Abdullahi.