Bill on 200 village heads rejected

The county Assembly has rejected a crucial Bill seeking to create 200 village administrative units.

The unanimous stand by the members was prompted by claims that the Executive was using the House “as a rubber stamp” to validate its policies and decisions without regard to the law.

During debate on the Villages Bill 2014, members questioned why the Executive was seeking their approval when it had already started recruiting the village administrators without a law to determine the number and names of the units.

Deputy Speaker Ndemwa Mbiti (Nguutani), representatives Peter Kilonzo (Athi), Jamhuri Mwango (Ikanga), Alex Mwendwa (Mulango) and Angela Mbula (Kyuso) all from Wiper Party, argued that the Assembly was not there to rubber-stamp Executive decisions without scrutiny.

ELECTORAL UNITS

“This Assembly must rise to the occasion and resist any attempts by the Executive to bulldoze their decisions. We will not endorse Bills and motions wholesale without scrutiny,” said Mr Kilonzo.

He said the Bill, which sought to create five villages in each of 40 wards, should be amended to conform with variations in size and populations of the electoral units.

The MCAs also demanded explanations from the Leader of Majority why the Executive had advertised for the jobs when the proposed law had not been passed by the Assembly, saying the village administrator jobs were non-existent in law.

The stand-off forced acting chairman of the Administration and Coordination of County Affairs committee Bernard Sila to withdraw the Bill and promised to consult the governor’s office.

The Executive, through the County Public Service Board, advertised for 294 positions of village administrators last year. The move annoyed members, who argued that tabling the Bill months later was a mockery of Assembly’s legislative and oversight authority.

Board secretary James Nduna confirmed that they had already received thousands of applications but were awaiting the Assembly to determine the number and names of the villages before shortlisting and recruiting.

Mr Nduna acknowledged that it was a mistake to advertise the jobs before the villages law was ready but said the Board would invite fresh applications after the Bill was debated and passed by Assembly.

But Interior executive, the Rev Safari Kilonzo, defended the Executive saying the procedural issues raised by MCAs were unqualified and that the Assembly should have passed the Bill without amendments.