Wambora tells Embu MCAs to back off county affairs
Embu Governor Martin Wambora addressing residents at Runyenjes Stadium during Jamhuri Day celebrations. He told ward representatives to keep off his government's affairs. PHOTO | GEORGE MUNENE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Governor Martin Wambora has hit out at ward representatives for meddling in the running of his government.
- The governor asked the MCAs to give him time to deliver on his campaign pledges.
- Mr Wambora cited intimidation of senior County officers by MCAs and endless court battles as derailing the county's development.
Embu Governor Martin Wambora has hit out at ward representatives accusing them of meddling in the running of his government.
Speaking at Runyenjes Stadium during Jamhuri Day celebrations, Mr Wambora told Embu MCAs to keep off the devolved government’s affairs and stick to their own mandates.
Citing various cases of intimidation of senior county officers by MCAs, Mr Wambora told the MCA’s to stick to their mandate of representation, oversight and legislation, and give him ample time to deliver on his campaign pledges.
“For the last 8 years, I have only had one year of peace to perform my duties. The rest of the time has been spent in courts as the ward representatives pushed their selfish agenda to destabilize the executive. This should end. The law is very clear on the roles of the two arms of the devolved government. We cannot continue with wrangles at the expense of development” he said.
DEMANDS
In November, Embu ward representatives took to the streets calling on the governor to sack chief officers and directors who they claimed were involved in corruption.
Reinforced by their supporters, the MCAs barricaded streets and set several revenue collection offices on fire, further ordering the business community to cease paying revenue to the county government on allegations that the money collected was lining the pockets of some county officials.
Mr Wambora moved to court and obtained orders restraining the MCAs from inciting the public and interfering with revenue collection.
“We cannot have elected representatives paralyzing the operations of the county and misleading the same public they purport to represent,” Wambora noted.
He continued: “I went to court to bar the MCAS from taking over duties that have nothing to do with them constitutionally. If the County is to be run on the whims of the Assembly, it will easily fall on its knees.”
The county boss vowed to continue building roads, equipping hospitals and seeking markets for coffee, tea and avocado farmers despite opposition by the MCAs.
