• 16 senior county employees were suspended over lose of ECD building materials and tyres worth Sh4 million
• More MPs have supported Senator Cherargei's onslaught on Governor Sang
A Nandi MP wants Governor Stephen Sang and legislators, led by Senator Samson Cherargei, to reconcile and work together for the benefit of residents.
The administration has increasingly come under focus from the county assembly and MPs after some executives and chief officers failed to explain allocations in their departments. Some 16 senior county employees were suspended over the loss of ECDE building materials and tyres worth Sh4 million.
Julius Meli (Tindiret) said their differences are hurting development. He called for an urgent meeting to ensure a truce.
The wrangling could get out of hand if allowed to continue, he said.
Meli spoke during the launch of a youth empowerment programme in his constituency. He said the county is at crossroads and mired in confusion, hence swift action must be taken to avert a crisis.
If the problem is not fixed, the electorate will have no option but to vote out leaders fanning factional politics that is devoid of development, he said.
Meli said he is ready to mediate and foster unity. “These unnecessary differences are reducing the county into a laughing stock, as it's now clear we will not move anywhere under such an atmosphere.”
But Cherargei, who was present at the function, maintained that he is exercising his constitutional role to check the excesses of the county government.
“I have no personal differences with Governor Sang. I’m just pinpointing the messes that need to be attended to, more so the theft orgy, which seems to be the culture of the county,” he said.
“I've all along been alone, but now the MPs are joining me to try and protect the resources from landing into the wrong hands.”
The senator said poverty has been rising in the county, despite its favourable weather patterns that should spur growth and transform lives.
Meli said he had reached out to Governor Sang and three other MPs but each had taken a hardline and sought to have some issues resolved first. The MPs were Cornelly Serem (Aldai), Vincent Tuwei (Mosop) and Woman Representative Tecla Tum.
Meli revealed that DP William Ruto had unsuccessfully tried to reconcile Sang and Cherargei.
Cherargei has blamed the Sang administration for misappropriation of funds, including the alleged loss of Sh13 million for bursaries, Sh4 million tyres, fuel theft, and Sh114 million ECDE cash.
He wants the county chief to adopt a new leadership style that espouses the team spirit and consultations.
“After the five years is over, we will carry out a public audit of all the funds received in the period and ask ourselves whether we can entrust you with another period,” Cherargei said.
(Edited by F'Orieny)