Kitui MCAs accuse Speaker of blocking bid to remove clerk

A storm is brewing at the Kitui County Assembly after Speaker George Ndotto allegedly delayed debate on a motion seeking to remove the clerk from office.

The petition seeking to remove Elijah Mutambuki from office, which was signed by all the 54 elected and nominated members of the county assembly (MCA), was submitted to Mr Ndotto on June 19 but is yet to be acted upon.

The MCAs accuse Mr Ndotto of using his position as the chairman of county assembly service board to shield Mr Mutambuki from being discussed and punished over allegations of gross misconduct.

ACCUSATIONS

According to the petition dated June 14 seen by the Nation, the MCAs accuse the clerk of using abusive and demeaning language against them and frustrating their work by withholding their allowances.

They also allege that sitting allowances or reimbursements on local and foreign travel are only paid after the clerk is pressurised and that he has failed to submit car and mortgage regulations to the county treasury for processing.

“We the undersigned petitioners being MCAs draw the attention of the Board that Section 22 of the County Assembly Services Act provides that the clerk may be suspended or removed from office due to gross misconduct, incompetence or violation of the Constitution,” the petition reads.

FED UP

Minority Leader John Mbaki Kisangau said members from both sides of the House are fed up with Mr Mutambuki’s habit of bullying them as none of the resolutions passed by the assembly are implemented.

Mr Kisangau, the Kwa Vonza Ward rep said the assembly has been reduced into a mere talking shop where “members are frustrated and treated worse than school kids by the clerk”.

He said the county assembly service board was supposed to act on their petition within ten days but has been dilly dallying over the matter in an attempt to coerce members to withdraw the push to sack Mr Mutambuki.

NO RELENTING

“We’ll not relent on this one. The Speaker has requested for more time for the Board to look into our petition but no other business will be conducted until our grievances are addressed” said the MCA.

His sentiments were shared by Minority Leader Peter Kilonzo (Athi Ward) who said MCAs from all political parties were united in their resolve to discipline the clerk for allegedly being rude and uncivil to them.

“The petition is by all the elected and nominated MCAs, we can’t all be wrong. We’ve been too patient with him until we realised that the assembly was grinding to a halt,” said Mr Kilonzo.

NDOTTO DENIES CLAIMS

However, contacted for comment, the Speaker warned the MCAs against “mob lynching tactics” in addressing the matter and urged them to seek alternative ways of resolving the dispute.

Mr Ndotto denied claims that he is shielding Mr Mutambuki from scrutiny, adding that it will not be easy to remove the clerk because the process provided for in law is long and tedious.

“I haven’t taken sides in the matter, but I’d wish we don’t take that route as it will poison the political environment in our assembly and make work difficult for all of us” Mr Ndotto told the Nation.

His comments are likely to further offend the MCAs because the Speaker will, by law, chair the board that will discuss the clerk’s conduct and the petition.

Mr Mutambuki declined to discuss the petition until he appears before the assembly service board.