• Governor says his administration will go ahead and employ village administrators come what may and dismissed those opposed to the plan as enemies of progress.
• The assembly last week warned the executive against diverting funds meant for employing ECDE teachers and VTC tutors to employment of village administrators.
Image: JOHN NALIANYA
Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati has scoffed at a section of MCAs who are against the hiring of village administrators.
He said his administration will go ahead and employ village administrators come what may and dismissed those opposed to the plan as enemies of progress.
"Whether our MCAs likes it or not, I'm going to employ our youths as village administrators," Wangamati insisted.
He urged residents to ignore those opposed to the hiring of the recently shortlisted village administrator positions.
Bungoma assembly last week warned the executive against diverting funds meant for employing ECDE teachers and VTC tutors to employment of village administrators.
The assembly maintained that it had not allocated any funds for hiring village administrators in 2020-21 financial year.
However, the governor said some local leaders are hell-bent on seeing the jobless youth wallow in poverty.
"How do you feel when our youths lack employment, while your enjoy salaries and allowances?" Wangamati posed.
He said employment of village administrators could have commenced in 2019 but court battles had hindered it.
"Now that the courts have given us a go-ahead to employ village administrators, I'm going to do so whether our MCAs like it or not," the county chief said.
He said he will remain at the forefront of championing the rights of the poor to help improve their lives.
The governor said he is committed to investing in education by awarding scholarships to the bright but needy students, saying education is the only way to ensure children of the poor have an equal chance with sons and daughters of privilege in life.
The county assembly had urged the executive to stop mudslinging its members for standing firm in ensuring funds are used prudently.
In a press release by assembly public communications officer Erick Ngobilo, it took seriously allegations that some elements in the County Executive Committee were keen on disregarding its resolutions, particularly on the hiring of village administrators.
“It is worth pointing to the public that there are no funds allocated in the current financial year for recruitment of village administrators,” the press release read.
"The County Public Service Board, an independent board created by the Constitution, should strive to operate free from interference.”
Ngobilo said allegations that there were attempts by the Executive to cancel the recruitment of ECDE teachers and VCT tutors and instead use the funds to hire village administrators was being closely monitored by the assembly.
He pointed out that shortlisting of candidates for ECDE and VTC positions had already been done and interview dates set. Ngobilo stated that the assembly would stop at nothing to ensure the process runs to its logical conclusion.
“Those elements in the county executive imagining that they can stop this process and use the funds to hire village administrators are daydreaming,” he said.
“Only the county assembly has the power to appropriate funds and re-appropriate the same through supplementary budgets in emergency and unforeseen cases.”
He said the assembly fully supports the recruitment of ECDE and vocational training college tutors.
“The county assembly calls on all parties to give the CPSB ample time to conduct the interviews in a fair and transparent manner. There should be no pressure and influence from any quarters,” he stated.
Ngobilo further said village administrators will not be hired in the current financial year as no funds were allocated.
“A requisition has to be initiated in the main budget by the line ministry for the next financial year after which the county assembly will consider and approve or otherwise,” he stated.
The officer said the resolutions of the assembly on matters policy and other legal frameworks should be respected by all. He stated that public funds must always be expended in a lawful and authorised way as stated in Section 149 of the PFM Act.
“We call upon the residents of Bungoma to remain vigilant and support the county assembly in its oversight role in a bid to ensure their funds are put to good use,” Ngobilo wrote.