-President Uhuru Kenyatta this week hosted the Fifth National and County Government Coordinating summit in Sagana Lodge, Nyeri
– 31 out of 47 governors attended the meeting
– The businesses that some of those who missed the meeting chose to attend to instead raised questions
A number of Governors who were absent at the national and County governments Meeting hosted by President Uhuru Kenyatta beginning Wednesday February 10, 2016 at Sagana State Lodge, have implied that they intentionally snubbed the meeting, and were not ‘absent with apologies’, as earlier communicated by the government.
Out of 47 governors, 16 of them skipped the meeting, and the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU) released a statement on Wednesday February 11, 2016 saying that those who were absent had sent in their apologies.
It has, however, emerged that some of the governors who did not show up disregarded the president’s meeting geared towards important matters on governing counties and co-ordination with the national government.
According to The Standard, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto openly admitted that he snubbed the meeting.
He said that he chose to rather invest his time in campaigning for an MCA by-election in his county, happening on Friday February 12.
He said he was campaigning for Mashinani Development Party candidate in Nyangores Ward.
Joho recently publicly differed with President Uhuru when he visited his Mombasa County, and soon after he faced friction with the government within his personal businesses.
Critics viewed the “slight” functions other governors chose to do in place of attending the Sagana meeting as thinly veiled messages that they deliberately ignored the the invite.
Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana was opening a maternity ward at Kithyulu dispensary in Makueni.
Governor Okoth Obado of Migori county declined to comment on the matter.
Nyamira governor John Nyagarama said he was receiving a delegation of investors from the US.
The governor whose county was hosting the meeting, Nderitu Gachagua of Nyeri, was also absent. County officials said he was out of the country for medical review, and President Uhuru at the meeting said that he received his apologies.
Other governors who were not present were:
-Governor Alfred Mutua – Machakos County
-Governor Joseph Nano – Turkana County
-Governor Amason Kingi – Kilifi County
-Governor Paul Chepkwony – Kericho County
-Governor Joseph Ndathi – Kirinyaga County
-Governor Sospeter Ojaamong – Busia County
-Governor Godana Doyo – Isiolo County
-Governor Julius Malombe – Kitui County
-Governor Samuel Mbae – Tharaka Nithi County
During the meeting with the county leaders, the head of state praised the coordination between the national government and the county governments since 2013.
Other things that they discussed were aimed at boosting devolution and working relations between the two governments.
The president said that the resolutions adopted by the parties present celebrate and entrench devolution and asked governors to uphold them as they seek to better lives of citizens.
Uhuru also shared that during the summit, it was agreed that an analysis of the functions of both levels of government be commissioned to eliminate duplication and wastage.
– 31 out of 47 governors attended the meeting
– The businesses that some of those who missed the meeting chose to attend to instead raised questions
A number of Governors who were absent at the national and County governments Meeting hosted by President Uhuru Kenyatta beginning Wednesday February 10, 2016 at Sagana State Lodge, have implied that they intentionally snubbed the meeting, and were not ‘absent with apologies’, as earlier communicated by the government.
Out of 47 governors, 16 of them skipped the meeting, and the Presidential Strategic Communications Unit (PSCU) released a statement on Wednesday February 11, 2016 saying that those who were absent had sent in their apologies.
It has, however, emerged that some of the governors who did not show up disregarded the president’s meeting geared towards important matters on governing counties and co-ordination with the national government.
According to The Standard, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto openly admitted that he snubbed the meeting.
He said that he chose to rather invest his time in campaigning for an MCA by-election in his county, happening on Friday February 12.
He said he was campaigning for Mashinani Development Party candidate in Nyangores Ward.
“Jubilee is not serious in ensuring devolution succeeds. The leaders are trying to shortchange the entire process through unconstitutional means. It is busy trying to extend the term of the Transition Authority to continue holding on to devolved functions,” Governor Ruto was quoted in the report.Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho was at the time together with opposition leader Raila Odinga at a public forum in Nairobi, where they discussed the Eurobond saga, calling on the government to declare it a national disaster.
Joho recently publicly differed with President Uhuru when he visited his Mombasa County, and soon after he faced friction with the government within his personal businesses.
Critics viewed the “slight” functions other governors chose to do in place of attending the Sagana meeting as thinly veiled messages that they deliberately ignored the the invite.
Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana was opening a maternity ward at Kithyulu dispensary in Makueni.
Governor Okoth Obado of Migori county declined to comment on the matter.
Nyamira governor John Nyagarama said he was receiving a delegation of investors from the US.
The governor whose county was hosting the meeting, Nderitu Gachagua of Nyeri, was also absent. County officials said he was out of the country for medical review, and President Uhuru at the meeting said that he received his apologies.
Other governors who were not present were:
-Governor Alfred Mutua – Machakos County
-Governor Joseph Nano – Turkana County
-Governor Amason Kingi – Kilifi County
-Governor Paul Chepkwony – Kericho County
-Governor Joseph Ndathi – Kirinyaga County
-Governor Sospeter Ojaamong – Busia County
-Governor Godana Doyo – Isiolo County
-Governor Julius Malombe – Kitui County
-Governor Samuel Mbae – Tharaka Nithi County
During the meeting with the county leaders, the head of state praised the coordination between the national government and the county governments since 2013.
Other things that they discussed were aimed at boosting devolution and working relations between the two governments.
The president said that the resolutions adopted by the parties present celebrate and entrench devolution and asked governors to uphold them as they seek to better lives of citizens.
Uhuru also shared that during the summit, it was agreed that an analysis of the functions of both levels of government be commissioned to eliminate duplication and wastage.
