Bar deputy governors from office in case of vacancies, BBI told

The Building Bridges Initiative sitting in Nairobi was told that the law should be amended to stop deputies from assuming office when the seat of governor falls vacant.

Nairobi residents proposed that fresh elections be held whenever a vacancy occurs in the office.

“We elect the governors and they are the people we want at the helm and not their deputies,” Mary Kamau, from Kamkunji constituency said. 

Kamau voters do not “care about the deputies” during elections. 

The Constitution states that in case of a vacancy, the deputy county governor shall assume office as governor for the remainder of the term. 

Patrick Kilonzi said fresh elections should be held in case of death or if the governor is removed from office because of other reasons.

“You will find that if you ask people who their governor is, a good number of them will tell you they have no idea who he or she is,” he added.

He said feuds between governors and their deputies would be less common if it were clear that county residents would go back to the ballot if the seat falls vacant.

Nyeri county has twice had a deputy governor assume office after the demise of county chiefs.

Samuel Wamathai was sworn in after the death of the Governor Nderitu Gachagua.

Mutahi Kahiga was sworn in as the fourth governor after the demise of Gakuru Wahome in a road accident.

Yesterday, speakers at the BBI forum insisted that deputy governors should serve in that capacity alone and seek a mandate from the electorate should they want to be county chiefs.

The calls come fresh on the heels of a raging debate on whether Kiambu Deputy Governor James Nyoro should take power after governor Ferdinand Waititu was charged in court and barred from accessing his office.

Nyoro has since announced that he has taken over the management of Kiambu county.

He chaired his first cabinet meeting on Tuesday and promised to work with all county executive committee members and the chief officers. 

However, Waititu’s lawyer, Tom Ojienda has maintained that the governor will still continue performing his official duties but from other locations.

Ojienda said that the ruling did not stop Waititu from being the governor saying he was only stopped from accessing his office and can, therefore, choose to work from home or even a hotel.

In Bomet, deputy governor Hillary Barchok is set to be sworn in following the death of Governor Joyce Laboso.

Assembly speaker Shadrack Rotich has indicated that the county is not in a hurry to swear in Barchok as the next governor.

After concluding with Nairobi yesterday, the BBI team will sum up its work in Tana River today.

The Building Bridges Initiative team was formed following President Uhuru's unity deal with Opposition leader Raila Odinga on March 9 last year. 

BBI has been collecting public views on how to approach electoral reforms, corruption and security issues. 

The team will give proposals on how to tackle negative ethnicity among other challenges facing the country.

(edited by O. Owino)