Petitioner: Dissolve Makueni

Lawyer Lucy Kambuni, the lead assisting counsel to the commission enquiring into a petition to disband the Makueni County government, drives home a point during the team’s session held on April 23, 2015 at Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi. PHOTO| JEFF ANGOTE |

What you need to know:

  • The commission is chaired by lawyer Mohammed Nyaoga and was told that Makueni residents were suffering due to the infighting between the executive and the county assembly.
  • In his presentation before the six-member commission at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Mr Mulandi said the governor’s continued delay in approving the budgets presented to the MCAs had retarded development in the county as there are no funds to be used.
  • The MCAs had also failed to debate the Alcoholic Drinks Bill yet locals were dying from the consumption of illicit liquor.

A commission of inquiry hearing the petition to dissolve the Makueni County government started its sittings yesterday, with a petitioner saying a disbandment would be best following unending wrangles.

The commission is chaired by lawyer Mohammed Nyaoga and was told that Makueni residents were suffering due to the infighting between the executive and the county assembly.

Petitioner Francis Mailu Mulandi, gave his account of the genesis of the bad blood between Governor Kivutha Kibwana and members of the county assembly. He added that all efforts to reconcile the two failed miserably.

“We plead that the commission recommend to the President to dissolve the county government so that we can elect new leaders,” said Mr Mulandi when he made a plea on behalf of eight petitioners who want fresh leaders.

RETARDED DEVELOPMENT

In his presentation before the six-member commission at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Mr Mulandi said the governor’s continued delay in approving the budgets presented to the MCAs had retarded development in the county as there are no funds to be used.

The petitioner said rivalry between the governor and MCAs began when the executive declined to allocate Sh1 billion that the county assembly was demanding from the budget.

He also said a failure by the assembly to discuss the Sand Conservation and Utilization Bill had denied residents a chance to benefit from the commodity.

The MCAs had also failed to debate the Alcoholic Drinks Bill yet locals were dying from the consumption of illicit liquor.

“The failure of both the governor of Makueni and the county Speaker to reconcile despite attempts by various religious leaders and elders means the two cannot work in unity,” he said.

He also said that a shooting incident in September last year in which six people were injured during a scuffle outside the Makueni County Assembly was an indication that the governor, MPs and MCAs were highly polarised and could not work together to develop the county.

Soon after that petitioner’s presentation, the commission adjourned, with another session scheduled for May 4 in Makueni.

Other members of the commission are National Police Service Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi, Ms Emilly Gatuguta, Prof Harrison Maithya, Ms Alice Wairimu Nderitu and former Mombasa Mayor Taib Ali Taib.

Mr Nyaoga said the commission would carry out its six-month-long mandate expeditiously to ensure a fair hearing and later make recommendations to President Uhuru Kenyatta on whether to dissolve the Makueni County government.