The Baringo assembly has approved all 10 county executive nominees despite opposition by some MCAs and members of the public.
There was heated debate in the assembly on Thursday over qualifications of nominees for Environment, Natural Resources, Tourism and Wildlife and
Industry, Commerce and Cooperative Development.
The officials for these positions are
Scola Kimeli (37, Baringo South) and
Clement Lomaringoria (42, Tiaty) respectively.
Baringo Civil Society Organizations Forum led, by crusader Isaiah Biwott, had disputed the candidature of the two.
"If this honourable assembly can pass such unsuitable people, vetting should not have taken place because this shows how incompetent our MCAs are."
Members of the public said Kimeli could not articulate
issues and that she had difficulties answering questions during vetting on
October 25.
The candidate
was criticised for not satisfying the panelists on questions such as listing
the basic human resources available in the county. She named zebras, murram and manganese.
"She also complained of zebras consuming her maize, so how can we trust her to head the county wildlife department?" asked Biwott, who was supported by his colleagues Moses Lemeluk and Godfrey Kipsoi.
Francisca Cheburet (Nominated) said the county
should come first.
"More qualified people applied for the position so it would be prejudicial for the house to choose to put the county at the edge just because of interests of an individual."
MCAs who defended Kimeli noted difficulty in raising a girl in a hardship area and her
first class degree from a recognised public university.
She has a
Business Management degree from Moi University.
"She is from my ward...I understand the difficulties there so one should dispute her certificates with verbal arguments," said Mochongoi ward representative Kipruto Kimosop.
He was backed by Solomon Makal (Kolowa), Jeniffer Kabon (Kapropita), Nelson Lotela (Silale), Reuben Chepsongol (Bartabwa), John Aengwo (Saimo-Kipsaraman) and Ameja Zelemoi(Churo/Amaya).
'SPEAKER SATISFIED'
MCAs were told Lomaringoria does not have an original university degree certificate and questioned the transcript he proclaims to have acquired from the University of Minnesota in the US.
He was a Biology teacher at Parpello Catholic Mission Secondary School in Tiaty sub-county.
MCAs said the nominee did not satisfy the panel as he only presented his form four
documents
and a P1 certificate from Egoji Teachers College.
"It means MCAs may have been bribed with a certain fee either for the nominee to pass the entire list," said Lemeluk.
The civil society further criticised ward representatives for hitting
at the media for exposing the nominees' negative aspects.
"The media is an independent entity that serves its role to inform the public. MCAs have no moral authority to criticise it," noted Lemeluk
Assembly speaker David
Kiplagat however deleted the 'not suitable' part of the motion against the two candidates and replaced it with 'suitable'.
Among approved nominees is Thomas
Lenong'onop
(53, Baringo South), the former head teacher of Kiserian Secondary School. He will be in charge of Education, Sports, Culture and Social Services.
Elijah Kipkoros (53, Baringo North), head teacher of RCEA Ng'elel Tarit Secondary School in Eldoret will head Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
Mary Panga, the 38-year-old widow of former Tiaty parliamentary aspirant Pepe Kitambaa, will head the health docket. She is currently the chief nurse at
Kenyatta hospital.
Moi University lecturers David
Chesire
(43, Baringo North) was assigned to Finance and Economic Planning and
Richard
Rotich
(48,
Baringo Central) to Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
Maureen Jemutai (44, Eldama Ravine, who also lecturers at Moi, will lead the Devolution, Public Service, Administration and ICT department.
Joel Koima from Mogotio, who is
Kabarak University lecturer and head of computer, will be in charge of Water and Irrigation and
Philemon Rono
(Eldama Ravine)
of Transport, Public Works and Infrastructure.