Ruto asks Taita taveta leaders to dialogue over county row

Deputy President William Ruto has urged Taita Taveta leaders to sort out their differences amicably without resorting to dissolving the county.

He said by calling for the dissolution of the county, the leaders were eroding the gains that have so far been made through devolution.

Speaking during a church service held at Buguta grounds in Taita Taveta County on Sunday, the DP asked leaders in the area to put aside their differences and take a common stand in addressing challenges facing the people.

“The solution of problems facing Taita Taveta County cannot be solved by moving from one office to another in Nairobi. You can’t solve issues of Taita Taveta in Nairobi. They can be solved here at the grassroots if you put aside your differences and work together,”Ruto said.

He urged  leaders to embrace dialogue in solving their differences; noting that wrangles and chaos were subjecting the people to untold suffering.

 Ruto said devolution has transformed the lives of millions of Kenyans, wondering why leaders in Taita Taveta were calling for the dissolution of their county.

“As leaders, I want to ask you to discourage wrangles and chaos. You were elected to serve the people. Calling for dissolution of your county is not a solution at all to your problems. There is no need for arrogance,” Ruto said.

Ruto however noted that he would continue to work with all leaders. 

He urged leaders to shun the politics of deceit and ethnicity, observing that they would take the country back. 

“I ask leaders to have a transformative mindset. It is the leaders who do not have a vision and development programmes that degenerate to ethnicity. There is no place for that in Kenya today,” he said.

Taita Taveta governor Granton Samboja on July 2  signed a memorandum to dissolve the devolved unit over a budget impasse with the Taita Taveta County Assembly.

Samboja said the move has been necessitated by wrangles over Sh830 million that the members of the county assembly (MCAs) allocated themselves through the Ward Development Fund.

The county assembly had previously passed a Sh 5.3 billion budget with each MCA allocating themselves Sh41.5 million for projects in their wards.

The governor said wrangles between the executive and the assembly were adversely affecting development in the county.He refused to  give in to the demands of the assembly.

Leaders Present were Deputy president William Ruto ,MPs John Mlolwa (Voi), Lydia Haika (Women Rep, Taita Taveta), Kassim Tandaza (Matuga), Danson Mwashako (Wundanyi), Khatib Mwashetani (Lunga Lunga), Benjamin Tayari (Kinango) and Vincent Mogaka (West Mugirango).