Governor says 'demon' resides at county assembly, calls for exorcism

Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana on April 21, 2018 at the Nation Centre in Nairobi. PHOTO | WILLIAM OERI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Governor Dhadho Godhana said the demon is diverting the attention of the assembly from doing what is important to doing what is unnecessary. 
  • The governor told the assembly members to pass his request as a motion in their next sitting.

  • The leader of majority in the assembly Salah Adamo has, however, condemned the governor's sentiments, saying they are derogatory to the members of the assembly and they will not be taken lightly. 

Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana has stirred controversy after calling on religious leaders and traditional healers to exorcise demons of tribalism that have taken over the county assembly.

Speaking at Mnazini on Sunday, where he had visited residents displaced by the floods, the governor said Tana River County assembly seems to be possessed by demons of tribalism. 

"In that assembly, there is a devil at work and it seems to be working so hard. I therefore call on all clerics and traditional healers to go to the county assembly and get rid of the demon," he said. 

MOTION

He said the demon is diverting the attention of the assembly from doing what is important to doing what is unnecessary. 

The governor told the assembly members to pass his request as a motion in their next sitting.

The leader of majority in the assembly Salah Adamo has, however, condemned the governor's sentiments, saying they are derogatory to the members of the assembly and they will not be taken lightly. 

Mr Adamo said the governor had undermined the county assembly and is creating bad blood between his office and the House. 

"Those statements are unfortunate and derogatory and we will not take them lightly. It is not fair and it demeans the image of the county assembly," he said. 

NOMINEES

Mr Adamo accused the governor of masterminding tribalism in the county, saying Mr Godhana wants to control the assembly.
"The House has rejected his plans, hence the remarks. The governor sidelined qualified members from other communities and instead appointed his tribesmen and friends into leadership positions," said Mr Adamo.

The governor's sentiments come barely two weeks after the assembly rejected four nominees appointed to chief officer positions. 

The assembly cited various reasons for rejecting the candidates. While some are facing graft investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, others did not meet the minimum requirements for the posts. 

The members of county assembly also said the governor's list did not adhere to ethnic balance as he had appointed seven out of 13 individuals from one ethnic group, completely sidelining a major ethnic group. 

APPOINTMENTS

Residents, on the other hand, have expressed their displeasure with the governor's statement, saying however strict the county assembly was in applying its mandate, exorcism ought to be the last thing on the governor's mind. 

Some of the residents who talked to the Nation concurred with the leader of majority, saying the governor ought to have balanced the appointments if he meant to reconcile the communities in the county. 

"I think the statement by the governor was not fair to the assembly and he should apologise. His list was not balanced enough to achieve his plans to reconcile Tana," said Salim Wayu Bola, a resident. 

APOLOGISE

Earlier on, Senator Juma Wario had contested Mr Godhana's list of nominees for the position of chief officers, urging him to compose a new list with all tribes in the county included. 

Mr Adamo now says the members of the county assembly will sit to deliberate on the governor's statements and take legal action if need be.