Embu county gripped by confusion, anxiety after court ruling

Confusion has gripped Embu county following the impeachment by the senate of Governor Martin Wambora and elevation of his deputy Dorothy Nditi with a group of politicians pushing for a by-election.

According to Embu county speaker Kariuki Mate, many members of executive committees and other staff are unaware where to report, after initial reports indicated that a Kerugoya court had reinstated Mr Wambora.

On Thursday, staff at Mr Wambora’s office trooped back after a weeklong absence after being locked out by county Transition Authority secretary Joyce Kariuki.

She had ordered the offices shut saying the staffs were not allowed to access the offices since their appointing authority was not in office.

“I have not locked the offices. I have just secured them from unauthorized persons. Those who worked there naturally took leave (following the impeachment),” said Ms Kariuki.

On Thursday, Ms Nditi, who before the impeachment had to receive instructions from Mr Wambora to attend functions, carried on with her duties as governor, visiting agricultural projects and outlining county government development plan.

She vowed to hold office despite calls from Embu senator Lenny Kivuti and Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire that she resigns since she hails from the Mbeere side.

Ms Mbarire, who coincidentally was Ms Nditi’s classmate at Kyeni Girls High school, is reported to have been angling for the governor post.

On Friday, she spent most of her time meeting with county executive committee members in a move seen as to assert her authority.

“I am under pressure to do certain things. We can’t allow a vacuum in the leadership of Embu. We are in control and will move forward,” she said.

Ms Nditi said she had already assumed office and would not step down for anyone.

She said she would hit the ground running, and accelerate implementation of the county 10-year count integrated strategic plan and launch projects that were yet to be launched.

Ms Nditi said she had noted that the conflict between the executive and the legislature was because many projects that had been approved had not taken off, while others had stalled.

Her endorsement by the senate ruling received a major boost when the county assembly, senate seat poll loser and long serving cabinet minister Njeru Ndwiga, vowed to support her.

Mr Mate said the county assembly regarded Ms Nditi as the “acting governor”.

Mr Ndwiga, who unsuccessfully ran for senate seat on a TNA ticket, said there was no memorandum of understanding between the Embu and Mbeere communities on power sharing.

Mr Ndwiga, who hails from the Embu community, was in impeached governor Martin Wambora and Ms Nditi’s camp and they campaigned as a team.

He said it was wrong for Mr Kivuti and Ms Mbarire to go against the constitution since Ms Nditi was legally in office.

Mr Ndwiga said Embu County was cosmopolitan in nature and does not only belong to Embu and Mbeere communities.

He said many politicians were disappointed by the retention of Ms Nditi since they thought a by-election would follow.

"Political players who expected to benefit from the spoils of impeachment through a possible by-election have now been forced to go back to the drawing board. They should avoid arm twisting the new governor to step down on the grounds of non-existent agreements regarding sharing of posts," he asserted.

A URP NEC member from Mbeere North, Mr Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku said anxiety has gripped the four constituencies in the county with people fearing that projects earmarked to commence this year by the county government might not kick off.
He said a section of county assembly members was being sponsored to frustrate Ms Nditi.

He challenged Mr Kivuti, who holds a county office, to show the way by resigning.

“There is too much confusion because the deputy governor was not impeached and now they are trying to arm-twist, coerce, blackmail and use all manner of tactics to force her out of office. She went round the county seeking votes and it’s not right to ask her to resign. We can’t be in politics mood all the time. If there is someone who should resign it is Mr Kivuti to demonstrate that he is for the Embu unity,” said Mr Ruku.