County Speaker vows to push out Isiolo governor

A row between Isiolo County leaders took a turn for the worse on Tuesday after a faction allied to the speaker threatened to collect signatures to oust Governor Godana Doyo.

But Mr Doyo accused Speaker Mohammed Tubi of trying to use the media to discredit his government.

“The media are their only available weapon,” he told Nation by telephone. The county government has been paralysed for the better part of the year following endless wrangles between Mr Doyo and Mr Tubi, attributed to political rivalry.

Business in the assembly has been grounded since June when Mr Tubi was impeached. He, however, obtained a court order reinstating him but Mr Doyo declared the order unprocedural.

The wrangles have split the county leadership right down the middle. Transition Authority chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi has warned that services could be crippled.

MP Joseph Samal (Isiolo North) and Isiolo Woman Representative Tiyah Galgalo are in Mr Tubi’s corner.

DOYO FUELLING CONFLICT

The MPs, speaker and eight ward reps visited Nation Centre in Nairobi on Monday and accused Mr Doyo of fuelling the conflict to cripple the county assembly and prevent it from playing its oversight role.

“We want to rally residents and start collecting signatures to oust the governor,” Mr Tubi said.

Mr Doyo dismissed the allegations, saying the speaker should petition the authorities to try and end the tension. Due to the crisis, workers at the county assembly have been idle and there has been no recruitment

The county assembly has not passed a single Bill.

According to Mr Tubi, the Executive has never presented a legislative proposal for enactment by the assembly. This includes the Finance Bill, without whose enactment a county government cannot collect revenue or finance projects.

Mr Doyo, on the other hand said: “We bring Bills to the assembly but the speaker does not put them on the order paper”.

DEPUTY SPEAKER OUSTED

In yet another twist, Deputy Speaker David Lemantile, who is allied to the governor, was ousted by assembly members from the speaker’s camp last month.

He was also reinstated by the court but Mr Tubi and ward reps allied to him have elected Mr Peter Losu as deputy speaker to replace him.

As a result, the Isiolo County Assembly has two deputy speakers.

Last month, Mr Lemantile and some assembly members allied to Mr Doyo passed the budget estimates for the county.

The Governor signed the Bill into law, an action Mr Tubi immediately described as illegal.