The Nyandarua county assembly has formed a five-member ad hoc committee to investigate embattled Public Administration and ICT executive Mbataru Kariuki.
The motion seeking the removal of Kariuki was moved by Kipipiri MCA Paul Ngeche.
The ad hoc team is composed of members from all five constituencies in Nyandarua. They are nominated MCA Margaret Ireri representing Kinangop and Geta MCA Githinji Mwaniki (Kipipiri), while Gabriel Gathure of Kaimbaga ward represents Ol Kalou.
The others are Gathanji MCA Ngumo Ngamau representing Ol Joro Orok and Mwangi Maitai representing Ndaragwa.
The committee has 10 days to file its report in the assembly after interrogating Kariuki and receiving evidence from his accusers.
Nyandarua speaker Wahome Ndegwa urged the committee to hit the ground running. “Any support required will be given by the office of the clerk so that you can dispense with your duties as quickly as possible," the speaker said.
While giving notice of a motion seeking Kariuki’s removal on Wednesday last week, Ngeche accused Kariuki of grossly violating the Constitution and the law by illegally employing persons in public office and establishing decentralised units in the county.
He further accused Kariuki of abuse of office for acting in a manner that improperly occasioned to benefit persons through employment.
The decentralised units are wards and village committees where the MCAs are accusing Kariuki of having hired their competitors during the last election without consulting them.
When contacted, Kariuki told the Star that the accusations did not constitute the notice of the motion.
However, on Tuesday afternoon, Ngeche recanted his earlier position that members of these committees have been employed and are already in office.
He said they have not been employed but the list of proposed names from the wards, which was compiled without consultation, was available.
“Yes, he has not employed, but he has intent to employ illegally," he said.
He extended the scope of accusations to the promises Kariuki made when he was vetted and approved for his current position in 2017, saying they have not been fulfilled.
He said Kariuki promised to clean the payroll and weed out ghost workers from the county, but this has not happened.
The MCA further said Kariuki had promised to transform Nyandarua to a digital economy by automating services and creating subcounty digital hubs for the youth.
In March last year, Kariuki launched a staff headcount to weed out ghost workers, but the results have never been revealed.
In March this year, the executive launched training for the Ajira programme in the county. Ngeche accuses him of employing trainers of trainers who were to undertake the programme and put them on a salary, which is a prerogative of the County Public Service Board.
