A Senate team has faulted Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja for frustrating peace talks to end the standoff with MCAs.
The team called for the intervention of ODM leader Raila Odinga and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
The Devolution and Intergovernmental Committee reported that the governor has not been keen on mediation and has continued to collect signatures to dissolve the county government.
Samboja has remained adamant despite MCAs softening their stance and agreeing to mediation.
“The issue is that while the county assembly is keen and they want to talk, the governor has a firm stand that he is going to proceed with writing the petition,” committee chairman John Kinyua (Laikipia) said.
Kinyua reported to the House the status of the talks spearheaded by his committee to amicably end the row.
He told the House the committee has not made much progress in its attempts to mediate between the parties because of the firm position taken by the county chief.
“We have managed to bring the two parties to talking terms but every time we do that and we think we have made progress, we find ourselves back to square one,” he explained.
He said in the first meeting involving Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa, the county assembly and the executive the parties resolved to form a joint committee to spearhead the negotiations.
The team is however yet to be formed because of the governor’s firm position on dissolving the county government.
The committee recommended the involvement of ODM boss Raila Odinga, Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka and Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo in the talks.
“We are now recommending to engage the party leader of ODM because the majority of MCAs are from ODM and also the party leader of Wiper because the governor was elected on the Wiper party ticket,” he said.
Samboja has been collecting signatures to sustain a petition to dissolve the county government after he clashed with the MCAs over the 2019-20 budget. At least 52, 000 people have signed the petition.
The wrangles were occasioned by the move by the MCAs to allocate themselves Sh830 million through the Ward Development Fund.
The MCAs passed a Sh5.3 billion budget on June 20 with each MCA allocating themselves Sh41.5 million for projects in their wards.
Kinyua said the office of the CoB will help address the issues raised in the budget that led to the sharp divisions.
The Constitution only allows for the suspension of a county government by the President in case of an emergency arising out of internal conflict or war or any other exceptional circumstances.
A county government cannot be suspended unless an independent commission of inquiry has investigated allegations against the government and the President is satisfied that the allegations are justified.
The Senate has to authorise the suspension, which can only be for a period of 90 days. On the expiry of the 90 days, the law allows for an election.
