Laikipia deputy governor Reuben Kamuri in his office in Nanyuki town.Laikipia Deputy Governor Reuben
Kamuri has expressed concern over what he terms attempts to weaken his
office.
He said his office has remained under-facilitated and under-utilised despite being recognised in the constitution.
Tension between him and Governor Joshua Irungu surfaced during the budgeting process when MCAs cut Sh5 million that had initially been allocated to his office in the 2025-26 financial year.
The funds were
redirected to the governor’s office.
Last year, Kamuri’s office was allocated Sh4 million to facilitate operations, including maintenance of
official vehicles.
He said although he still has a bodyguard and other official support, his office is struggling to operate effectively.
“It’s very unfortunate that such
issues are being experienced more than a decade after the onset of devolution,” Kamuri said.
He accused governors of frustrating their deputies by not allocating them clear budget vote lines and responsibilities.
Kamuri, who joined politics in 2022 after being picked as Irungu’s running mate, said good governance can only be achieved when governors and their deputies work harmoniously.
He welcomed ongoing amendments to the County Governments Act 2012, saying they would grant deputies greater autonomy to perform their duties.
“Governors and deputy governors
have their own spaces constitutionally. No one should try to cripple the office
of the deputy governor,” Kamuri said.
The DG said his boss' aides have also made it difficult for them to engage directly.
County director of communication John Wambugu denied Kamuri’s claims, saying the administration remains committed to supporting all constitutional offices.
Irungu previously served as Laikipia’s first governor and also experienced tension with his then Deputy Gitonga Kabugi, who later contested against him in 2017.
