Kitui assembly speaker dismisses committee's half-baked report

Kitui assembly speaker George Ndotto on Tuesday put the Water and Agriculture committee on the spot for preparing and presenting a superficial and unsatisfactory report.

Ndotto consequently gave the committee chaired by Grace Mutua three weeks to present a comprehensive report to the satisfaction of the assembly.

The speaker gave the ruling after MCAs expressed their dissatisfaction and picked holes in the report.

Most of the MCAs, who got a chance to ventilate on the report, termed it shallow and not measuring up to its purpose.

The committee had been tasked to enquire and give a statement on the supply and distribution of water to Mumoni ward and its environs by the Kiambere-Mwingi Water and Sanitation Company.

The statement was requested by Mumoni MCA Johnson Kanundu as his electorate was getting a raw deal in water provision by Kimwasco.

Since Mutua was away on Tuesday, a member of his committee, Peter Kilonzo, read the report to the assembly, but MCAs said it was shallow.

Led by Kanandu, they dismissed it, saying it did not represent the issues on the ground.

Some MCAs said the shortcomings in the report were obviously a result of online meetings due to Covid-19 restrictions.

With the MCAs unanimously having reservations about the report, Ndotto ruled that the committee go back to the drawing board and come up with a more in-depth and acceptable report.

He said the committee chairperson and its members were the hope of the people of Kitui.

Ndotto directed the committee to do a thorough job then give a comprehensive report after visiting the areas in question and talking with residents.

“They must talk to the people physically and get the correct answers because what appears in their report is unreal and different from the situation on the ground, as presented by Kanandu.

“I give them three weeks to bring something that the house can accept,” Ndotto ordered.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)