Marsabit County Assembly rejects nominees to policing authority

Marsabit County Assembly Speaker Matthew Loltome speaks to journalists on August 25, 2016. He said the assembly rejected nominees to the county policing authority as the governor disregarded the National Police Service Act in making the nominations. PHOTO | KEN BETT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Speaker Loltome said all the constituencies were not fairly represented and that the names also lacked proper geographical representation.
  • In the report, Moyale Constituency got four slots, North Horr one while both Laisamis and Saku got two.
  • The speaker said the executive must adhere to the law as the authority was very crucial.
  • He said the assembly has written to Governor Yatani to explain why the nominees were rejected.

The Marsabit County Assembly has rejected nine people nominated by Governor Ukur Yattani for appointment to the county policing authority.

The assembly said the governor disregarded the National Police Service Act in making the nominations.

Speaker Matthew Loltome, who is also the chairman of the vetting and appointments committee said the House rejected the names as there was no report from the county intelligence and security committee.

He said all the constituencies were not fairly represented and that the names also lacked proper geographical representation.

“We have not approved the names because the House was not furnished with the report from the county security committee led by the county commissioner, which is essential.

In the report, Moyale Constituency got four slots, North Horr one while both Laisamis and Saku got two.

“The committee felt the proportionality was not followed as per the Act,’’ he told a media briefing in his office Thursday.

On Wednesday, when the nominees appeared in the House for vetting, the Speaker barred the media and members of the public saying the matter was sensitive.

SKEWED GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION

Mr Loltome said the committee also noted that the geographic representation in the names submitted omitted some places like Sololo in Moyale, yet it was one of the county’s security hot spots.

“Members said the report was not geographically [representative].

“For instance, Moyale’s northern part was represented but we don’t have any in Southern part like Sololo.

“Similarly in Laisamis, nominees were drawn from the town leaving out Loiyangalani,’’ he observed.

The speaker also noted that there was lack of balance in religious representation after it turned out that Christians were not considered during the selection.

He, however, praised the executive for drawing members from the business sector, community-based organisations, women and persons with special needs, religious organisations and the youth.

The county policing authority, as per the National Police Service Act, is a body that is to be headed by the governor or a member of the county executive committee.

The speaker said the executive must adhere to the law as the authority was very crucial.

He said the assembly has written to Governor Yatani to explain why the nominees were rejected and urged him to start the process afresh.