Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has issued a fresh warning to non-performing county workers as he continues reorganising his administration.
"We had employed people to collect revenue but they became crafty and pocketed the money. They were building houses instead of banking the cash. Soon, I will send more people home if they can't account for their property," he said.
The governor on August 6 sent all the 143 revenue clerks on a 60-day compulsory leave and replaced them with community administrators.
Sources told the Star that the personal files of the revenue officers on leave have been sent to relevant state agencies for scrutiny of their papers.
Oparanya spoke on Saturday during the homecoming party for Namamali MCA George Mukodo at Ebulanda Primary School.
He said the stand-off between the Senate and National Assembly is dragging projects behind. Oparanya said the Kakamega county government is enhancing revenue collection so that it offers proper services.
“The Kakamega county government has the potential to collect more than Sh3 billion. This will help a lot in improving services," he said.
Oparanya said all households in Kakamega will have piped water by 2022. He said a pilot project is being undertaken in Khwisero and Likuyani subcounties. It will be spread to the other 10 constituencies, he said.
“Women spend a lot of time trekking long distances to fetch water in rivers. Increased water connection will create more time for them to be productive to the community,” he said.
The county has rolled out several diversification programmes including dairy, poultry, fish farming and tea farming to shift from over-reliance on a single cash crop.
He said that the over-reliance on sugarcane farming has left the county in an economic crisis after the sector experienced financial constraints.
Oparanya, however, said that the county government is working round the clock to revive the sector. He farmers to resume sugarcane farming to provide adequate raw materials for the factories.
(Edited by P Wanambisi)
