- Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dulo and Woman Rep Rehema Jaldesa are on the governor’s neck accusing him for failing in his mandate.
- But Kuti has defended himself, saying his administration has done the best it could given the problem of late disbursement of funds from Treasury.
Isiolo Governor Mohammed Kuti is spending sleepless nights as his political opponents criticise his administration for poor health services and deplorable roads.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo and Woman Representative Rehema Jaldesa are on the governor’s neck accusing him of failing in his mandate.
The two are among leaders and residents who have been keeping the governor on his toes, saying the county boss has slept on the job.
They took issue with the administration's lack of preparedness to handle critical patients.
Simon Edong’a, a Burat resident, said devolution funds seemed to benefit a few cronies, without tangible development reaching wananchi.
Halima Godana said roads are in deplorable condition because they have not been upgraded for the last three years.
On October 24, Senator Dullo demanded the closure of the Isiolo referral hospital, claiming it was no longer safe for patients.
Her statement made many locals avoid taking patients to the hospital.
Kuti termed the statement reckless coming from a leader, considering the hundreds of patients who access free health services at the hospital.
The hospital’s management has been facing immense criticism from the public following the recent death of a nurse working there as she was being rushed to Nairobi for ventilator services.
Jaldesa alleged that Kuti’s administration was ill-prepared to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic after a spike in local infections.
But the county boss said Isiolo is far ahead on preparedness considering its population of about 260,000 people compared to Nairobi and Kiambu counties that need more than 300 isolation beds as per President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive.
“The hospital is in a pathetic situation. We are pained because when we speak on behalf of the public we are blamed that we are politicking,” she said.
Kuti was ranked 39th in governance with a mean score of 46.5 per cent, according to a recent survey.
The County Track Performance Index ranked Kuti among the bottom five performers and the second-worst among first-term governors.
The poll graded counties’ capacity to deliver on all the devolved functions — health, agriculture, education, roads, energy, social services, early childhood education, tourism, trade, housing and settlement.
Dullo said she was tired of trying to bring sanity in Kuti’s regime after she allegedly discovered misappropriation of public funds.
“I have talked on misuse of Isiolo devolved funds until they have nicknamed me 'Mama Fitina'. The county is operated like someone’s enterprise. Never has an expenditure report been tabled in the assembly whereas budgets are always approved.
“Rise up and petition assembly to kick out the pocketed MCAs. MCAs are elected to represent Isiolo residents. They have failed you. Expenditure report has never been tabled to the assembly as if there is no law governing this county. There have been increased violation of human rights,” the senator said.
She claimed that security in Isiolo is in the governor’s pocket and seems like "we have no law".
Kuti has defended himself saying his administration had employed a reasonable number of personnel to handle critical patients.
He however acknowledged some challenges especially on health workers salary delays, lack allowances and drugs.
“We are grateful for the health workers' efforts. This is a matter of war. I am confident we have a well-equipped facility to attend to our patients but this is not the solution. The solution is mwananchi adhering to Covid-19 safety protocols. On salary issues, there have been delays because the money comes to the county late. Sometimes we don’t have enough drugs due Kemsa's monopoly,” Kuti said.
Edited by Henry Makori