Kiambu Governor Faces Impeachment Amid Allegations
Months, after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua met with Kiambu legislators to prevent the impeachment of Governor Kimani Wamatangi, a new issue, has emerged that could reignite political tensions in the county.
The MCAs of Kiambu are currently accusing the county administrator of dictatorship, poor leadership, and an inability to supervise county development.
During a press conference conducted at the county assembly, the MCAs accused Wamatangi of being a lone wolf, being unable to work with other leaders, failing to include other important people in decision-making, and slow infrastructural development at the Ward level.
Wamatangi’s failure, one year after assuming office, to completely form his government for effective service delivery is also at the center of intensified disputes between the county assembly and executive leadership.
The MCAs, led by Githiga Ward Member of Assembly Ruth Waithera, reprimanded Wamatangi for neglecting to submit the names of the chief officers for assembly approval, a move that has allowed him to collaborate with those from the administration of former governor James Nyoro.
Since the former county secretary, Martin Njogu resigned months ago, the county secretary position has been vacant for several months.
Although he did not specify the reason for his resignation, the MCAs asserted that his relationship with the governor had become untenable.
Biabiane Waiganjo, a member of the county executive committee for education, resigned in April, citing harsh, oppressive, and repressive working conditions as the reason for departing the county executive after only two months.
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The county’s chief of staff, Gibson Mburu, as well as the County executive committee member in charge of roads, Samuel Mugo, and his chief officer for roads, Daniel Njenga, resigned later.
Since their resignations, none of these positions have been filled, which has angered MCAs who accuse Wamatangi of administering county affairs unilaterally.
Despite the gazettement of Juja, Kabete, Lari, Kahawa Sukari, Githunguri, and Gatundu municipalities earlier this year, outraged MCAs have complained that the metropolises lack effective governing boards, jeopardizing Ksh. 1.8 billion in Kenya Urban Support Program funding from the World Bank.
The MCAs have also faulted the county administrator for failing to formalize his administration’s employment of casual employees, whom they claim are fired irregularly after intense intimidation.
The Ward representatives asserted that, since assuming office, the governor has been unable to substantiate his accomplishments beyond the distribution of chickens and fertilizer to farmers.
Peter Njoroge Wainaina, MCA of Karuri, asserts that the governor has been subverting elected MCAs by using members of his Wamatangi Foundation as foot soldiers and replacing them with administrative mandates.
Njoroge also claimed that only Ksh.400 million (8.2%) of the 4.88 billion shillings allocated for development in the county during the previous fiscal year had been spent as of April of this year, a situation that could have resulted in the local government returning billions of dollars to the national treasury.
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He also alleged that county officials engaged in widespread embezzlement of public funds through the signing of imprests by junior officers.
The assembly majority leader, Godfrey Mucheke, who is believed to be Wamatangi’s point man, has already been dethroned, and the MCAs have stated that they will not hesitate to remove the governor from office unless he puts his house in order.
Wamatangi quickly responded that he would not be intimidated by corrupt people’s demands, alleging that the fights at the assembly were a plot by his political adversaries who opposed his leadership style and political stature.
Wamatangi argued, while addressing residents of Gatundu during a chick distribution event, that his political opponents are using Ward representatives as actors in a larger scheme to discredit him.
Kiambu Governor Faces Impeachment Amid Allegations
