Queries as 16 governors skip President Uhuru Kenyatta’s meeting
Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto openly
admitted he snubbed the meeting, saying
he opted to campaign for the Mashinani
Development Party candidate in
Nyangores Ward, Bomet County ahead of
today’s by-election.
Mr Ruto cheekily retorted that the Jubilee
coalition had called for the dissolution of
the affiliate parties and therefore he was
busy popularising his outfit. “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,” he said.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho also did
not attend but accompanied ODM party
leader Raila Odinga to a public forum that
discussed the Eurobond saga in Nairobi. Mr Joho had expressed displeasure about
the President’s recent trip to Mombasa
saying he had been sidelined. Afterwards,
two firms at the Mombasa port linked to
his family had their operations shut
down. Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana was
in Kithyululu in Makueni opening a
maternity ward at Kithyulu dispensary. Contacted to explain his absence, Migori’s
Okoth Obado said he had no comment. His
Nyamira counterpart John Nyagarama
said he had asked Mr Munya to send his
apologies explaining he had pending
business he needed to address at the county assembly and he was also
receiving a delegation of US investors. Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua, who
was the host, is out of the country for
what the county officials explained was a
medical review and President Kenyatta
yesterday publicly acknowledged his
apologies.
Other governors who did not attend are
Paul Chepkwony (Kericho), Joseph Nanok
(Turkana), Alfred Mutua (Machakos),
Amason Kingi (Kilifi), Samuel Mbae
(Tharaka Nithi), Godana Doyo (Isiolo) and
Joseph Ndathi (Kirinyaga) who is reportedly in Australia.
Yesterday, Ruto said the high number of
governors absent from the meeting was
unusual. “This is an extraordinary number.
Normally we have either four to six
governors absent and it’s because they
are out of the country. Also with this
meeting, there was no adequate
consultation,” the former Council of Governors chairman added.
