Bii puts executives on performance contracts
Governor Bii stressed that integrity would be the hallmark of his administration.
2mon agoBY MATHEWS NDANYIRift-valley
A fresh standoff between the executive and the Uasin Gishu county assembly has emerged after MCAs rejected all ten nominees proposed by Governor Jonathan Bii to serve as members of the Eldoret City Board.
The decision was reached by the county assembly’s Housing and Urban Development Committee, which had been tasked with vetting the nominees.
After completing its review, the team chaired by MCA Amos Kitur declined to approve any of the individuals put forward by the governor.
In its report, the committee stated that it found the nominations unsuitable for appointment to the Eldoret City Board.
Those rejected include Julius Kitur, Paul Chemutut, John Ayieko, Sammy Bor, Alice Kostany, David Maize, Ruth Limo, Dipen Arun, Colette Akinyi and Kwamboka Akama.
According to the committee, the rejection was based on issues of legality, procedure, citizenship and petitions received from the public.
“Having carried out the approval hearings for the nominees, the committee recommends that the house adopts this report without amendments,” Kitur said.
The report cites legal and procedural breaches, noting that the appointing authority had contravened Section 13 (3) and (4) of the Urban Areas and Cities Act, 2022.
The law requires the governor to adhere to specific provisions, including ensuring that nominating organisations present formal minutes, resolutions and clear procedures used in identifying their candidates.
“The committee found that the nominating organisations did not provide sufficient evidence of the procedures followed during the selection process,” the report stated.
It will now be tabled before the full assembly for debate and adoption.
Bii had submitted the list to the assembly on September 26, following recommendations from the County Recruitment Board.
The names were then forwarded for vetting and approval as required by law.
But even as the assembly moved to block the appointments, a legal battle over the same matter had been unfolding in court.
A resident of Eldoret, Moses Kibor, filed a petition challenging the legality of the appointments, claiming they were done without following due process.
Through lawyer Daniel Tarigo, Kibor sued the Governor of Uasin Gishu, the County Public Service Board and the County Assembly, arguing that the process contravened both the constitution and the Urban Areas and Cities Act.
“My client is challenging the entire process through which the appointments were made and seeks to have them declared null and void,” Tarigo said.
The outcome of both the assembly deliberations and the court case will now determine the future of the Eldoret City Board, which has been at the centre of controversy since its formation.
