• Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is set to dispatch a team to Taita Taveta County.
• The team will advise on how the conflict between the legislature and executive can be resolved.
Image: WILFRED NYANGARESI
ODM leader Raila Odinga is set to dispatch a team to Taita Taveta on a fact-finding mission after MCAs urged him to intervene in the wrangles between them and the executive.
Raila said the team is expected to prescribe solutions to the conflict between the two arms of the county government.
The former Prime Minister made the announcement yesterday after MCAs from the county met and pleaded with him to mediate in their conflict with Governor Granton Samboja.
“I have decided to send a fact-finding mission to Taita Taveta from the party who will advise accordingly so that we can have a solution that will be in the best interests of the people of the county,” he said.
Governor Samboja was elected on a Wiper Party ticket while ODM controls the county assembly.
Samboja has collected more than 40,000 signatures and is preparing to petition President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve the county following a budget impasse.
Taita Taveta has 180,000 registered voters and Samboja needed only 18,000 signatures.
The MCAs appeared to have softened their stance even though Samboja has maintained that there is no room for dialogue and that the only way out of the conflict is through fresh elections.
Raila said he had listened to the governor, MPs from the county and the MCAs and established that there is a disconnect between the two arms of government.
“We want this conflict to end because it is impacting negatively to service delivery to the people of the county,” he said.
Speaker of the county assembly Meshack Maganga said they visited Raila to give him a clear picture of what is happening on the ground and ask for his advise and support.
“We are ready for dialogue. A budget misunderstanding should not be the basis for dissolving a county. Our arms are open and we are ready to sit down with the other group,” he said.
Maganga said further consultations are needed as it is the surest way out of the stalemate.
“We are ready to talk to the executive and meet the aspirations of people who elected us,” he said.
Leader of Majority Jason Tuja said they have not closed the doors to dialogue.
“We will appreciate any effort from any leader to end this conflict. We should use devolution to meet the aspirations and expectations of Kenyans,” he assured.
Last week, Samboja and Senator Jones Mwaruma and legislators Jones Mlolwa (Voi), Andrew Mwadime (Mwatate) and Danson Mwashako (Wundanyi) had indicated that the future of the devolved unit lay with the President.
The feud is over Sh830 million MCAs allocated themselves through the Ward Development Fund.
The county assembly passed a Sh5.3 billion budget, out of which MCAs allocated themselves Sh41.2 million each for projects in their wards.
Raila will be touring the county on August 12 to launch development projects and is expected to use the opportunity to talk to the people on issues affecting them.
(edited by O. Owino)