Build bridges with MCAs, Murkomen tells Tolgos

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has rubbished claims he is plotting to impeach Governor Alex Tolgos.

The senator, who disagrees with Tolgos over the running of the county, released a detailed statement on Tuesday abut county's problems and advised the governor to reconcile with all leaders. 

Tolgos is also feuding with MCAs after they declined to reduce their Sh566 million budget to help close a Sh200 million budget deficit. 

He said even though the county faces serious challenges "as a result of gross incompetence and maladministration", he does not believe impeaching the governor would solve the problems.

“I wish to remind Tolgos that impeachment is an accountability process spelt out in the Constitution. Although the Senate is involved in any impeachment process that comes before it, the senator does not participate in it as an individual,” Murkomen said in a statement. 

Tolgos on Monday said Murkomen was using MCAs to plan his removal because of his stand on the Arror and Kimwarer dam scandals.

Murkomen wants Tolgos to record a statement with the DCI if he knows that who stole the dams money.  

He said the governor had previously called for the dissolution of the county "because of his inability to run some functions". 

“I disagree with him on these because I champion devolution. Incompetence and poor grasp of constitutional functions cannot be hidden in machinations and schemes that will further hurt residents,” the senator said. 

Murkomen said Tolgos’ continuous complaints about the huge wage bill are hypocritical, noting that the Auditor General, in his 2017-18 report, indicated that the governor illegally hired additional staff, ballooning the wage bill. 

He said that it was inexplicable that Elgeyo Marakwet is one of the counties with the smallest population yet it ranks among the top spenders on wages.

“The governor should accept an independent audit of the county payroll to weed out ghost workers and save resources," the Senator said.

Murkomen also said the Auditor General said the governor hired "cowboy contractors" who have done shoddy work. 

“As a result, there are many white elephant projects with excessively poor workmanship.” 

He said Tolgos has not attracted investors for seven years nor attempted to grow local revenue.

"Instead of being a champion of prosperity in our county, Tolgos at this rate risks being remembered as a father of poverty,” Murkomen said.  

Edited by R.Wamochie