Chief officers have been running the dockets following the exit of the executives but the contracts of many are set to expire on January 31
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
The Mombasa county government has assured residents that a new cabinet will be named before the end of this month.
The assurance came after a human rights group threatened to sue Governor Hassan Joho, saying a delay in establishing a new county executive committee was denying residents services.
The county government has operated without a cabinet since November 12 last year when the contracts of the 10 CEC members expired after two years in office.
Chief officers took charge of the dockets but the contracts of most of them are set to expire at the end of the month, sources said.
The matter had raised fears of a leadership crisis and a possible grounding of services.
On Monday, the Commission for Human Rights and Justice wrote to Joho giving him 14 days to appoint a new cabinet or face a legal suit.
“We petition your office to appoint county executives pursuant to Article 47 which grants the right to fair and expeditious administrative action,” CHRJ executive director Julius Ogogoh said in a letter dated January 13.
But county director of communication Richard Chacha said residents should not be worried.
“There is nothing to worry about. The governor knows (the situation) and will ensure the smooth running of the county government,” Chacha told the Star on the phone.
Ogogoh accused Joho of denying residents the right to work as county executives and also the right to get services arising from the appointments.
“The delay in exercising your constitutional mandate to provide a functional government as envisaged by the Constitution is also in breach of the County Government Act,” Ogogoh said.
The group said failure to comply with the Constitution amounted to abuse of office.
“Similarly, be informed that if you remain adamant, this petition could also be a perfect ground for impeachment proceedings against you as governor.”
Chacha said the county will not suffer any leadership crisis as suggested by the activists. He said there has been smooth running of services since November 12 when the contracts of the executives expired.
He said the chief officers were not appointed at the same time so only the contracts of a few will end on January 31.
There are rumours Joho had already reappointed one of his favourite executives but Chacha denied the claims.
“When anyone gets any letter of appointment, I will let you know.”
edited by p. obuya