Siaya County Assembly Clerk 'locked' out of office

Siaya County Assembly Speaker George Okode takes the oath of office on September, 20, 2017. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Olwero has accused Speaker George Okode of being behind the move to oust him.

  • The assembly clerk also accused the speaker of recruiting his relative to take over his job.   

A storm is brewing in the Siaya County Assembly after the clerk was barred from accessing his office.

The clerk Mr Felix Olwero said he went on leave in early February but upon his return last week, he found locks on his office door changed.

Mr Olwero has accused Speaker George Okode of being behind the move to oust him.

He also accused the speaker of recruiting his relative to take over his job.   

“I know we have been having issues in the assembly but locking up the office of a public officer is not one way of solving them,” said Mr Olwero on Sunday.

TENSION

He added that the move by his boss was creating unnecessary tension among staff and the public since the Speaker had not given the reasons for changing the locks.

Mr Olwero told the Nation that trouble started in 2018 after queries emerged over the running of the assembly and the board. 

“I have received several letters to explain suspicious issues that bordered on malice,” said Mr Olwero.

The Speaker, however, said that Mr Olwero had been suspended.

“The clerk is on suspension; he has a letter to that effect. The sideshows he is engaging in will not help him, he will face disciplinary action just like any other staff,” said Mr Okode who denied

recruiting a relative to the county assembly service board.

SH3 MILLION

The board’s vice chair Maurice Aringo confirmed that the Clerk had been suspended and challenged him to make the contents of the suspension letter public.

“The clerk is being investigated for alleged misappropriation of close to Sh3 million,” said Mr Aringo.

He said that an internal audit revealed that Mr Olwero had illegally withdrawn Sh2.9 million from the assembly account.

He said that the clerk had not been replaced as clerk to the assembly.