The leadership wrangles in Kiambu has escalated further after acting Governor James Nyoro withdrew vehicles of officers deemed to be defiant to his administration.
The official vehicles of Roads and Public Works executive Juliet Kimemia and her Finance and Planning counterpart Kigo Njenga were withdrawn, with Nyoro saying the two are playing politics instead of working.
Sports and Youth Affairs executive Karungo wa Thangwa, a close ally to Governor Ferdinand Waititu, showed solidarity with his colleague and offered his official vehicle to them.
“I have offered to share my official vehicle with my colleague CEC for Finance Kigo Njenga after his official county vehicle was withdrawn under unclear circumstances. We are determined to serve our people as per our mandate and the love for our home county,” Thang’wa wrote on his official Twitter handle.
Nyoro has faced resistance and defiance since he assumed office as acting governor, especially after he reshuffled the cabinet.
Some officers in the Office of the Governor have refused to take orders from him.
The High Court barred Governor Waititu from accessing his office until a corruption case where he is accused of awarding irregular tenders amounting to Sh588 million is heard and determined.
On Wednesday last week, the Employment and Labour Relations judge Onesmus Makau barred Nyoro from appointing, reshuffling, dismissing or interfering in any way with the county executives, chief officers, enforcement officers and any senior officers.
Nyoro had through a Gazette Notice No. 8903, moved CEC Kigo Njenga from the Finance docket to Trade docket and replaced him with Wilson Mburu.
However, the Central Bank of Kenya turned away Mburu after he presented himself as an Ifmis signatory.
Meanwhile, MCAs have started collecting signatures to have Joseph Igogo be brought back to the assembly, where he served as the clerk.
He was recalled to the National Assembly, where he had been seconded from after john Mutie, the gazette assembly clerk, was reassigned by Governor Waititu to head the County Municipalities Board.
Reports indicate 78 out of 92 members have signed to have Igogo back, saying he did his job diligently.
Majority leader Gideon Gachara told the Star that the county speaker has written to the National Assembly, requesting the clerk to be recalled.
"We are not aware of the reasons why the speaker would write a letter for our clerk to be recalled since it was not discussed in the Speakers panel nor the assembly's Public Service Board and we feel this is a personal vendetta," Gachara said.
The MCAs, on the other hand, have revived the push to kick out speaker Stephen Ndicho with the petition to impeach him having been signed by over 80 MCAs out of the 92.
The MCAs have taken issue with financial management at the assembly and hiring of staff.
The notice of motion is expected to be tabled soon after the MCAs come out of the 2019 County Assemblies Sports Association games that started on September 27 and end on Friday in Uasin Gishu county.
Efforts to reach the speaker for comment were not futile as he did not answer phone calls or reply to SMS.
The wrangles have trickled down to the residents, who have taken sides and are hurling insults at each other on social media, with some defending Governor Waititu as others justify Nyoro's actions.
Senator Kimani Wamatangi, Woman rep Gathoni Wamuchomba and area MPs have remained mum on the wrangles.
