• Nominated MCA tables report seeking to know what action Health department had taken on rude nurse
• MCA says assembly has been branded a rubber stamp for not executing their oversight role
Makueni county assembly has threatened to withdraw the privileges of underperforming CEC members, chief officers and directors.
Led by Speaker Douglas Mbilu, MCAs said there was a general observation that some senior county officials operate only in their offices and never visit their fields to monitor progress.
“This assembly will recommend withdrawal of their entitlements and their four-wheeled vehicles if those vehicles are not noticed visiting the electorate because that is what they are paid to do,” Mbilu said on Wednesday morning.
The assembly rejected a report tabled in response to a statement by Martina Ngusye (nominated) regarding poor health service delivery at a health centre in Kiimakiu-Kalanzoni ward in Kilome.
Ngusye had sought to know what action the department had taken on a nurse who was allegedly rude to patients and was working with a committee that had been thrown out by residents.
Led by Health committee chairman James Mbalu, the MCAs rejected the report from Health CEC Andrew Mulwa saying it was not sufficient and the response on the matter was not evidence-based as it did not reflect on the real issues on the ground.
Mbalu (Kikumbulyu North) asked the speaker to rule the report as inadmissible citing gaps.
“From our findings, we are reliably informed that patients have stopped seeking services from the facility because of the attitude of the nurse in charge contrary to the CEC’s reporting,” Mbalu, a medic, said.
Speaker Mbilu said the privilege attached to county government officers are in respect to leaving "their comfortable chairs and offices" to visit the people who elected the appointing authority that gave them the positions; the governor.
“We know those whose cars do not step on earth roads, they are only used to the tarmac roads, soon they will be on boda bodas,” the speaker said.
He said the assembly doesn’t work for the executive but for the people and urged the MCAs to fulfil their mandate.
Majority leader Kyalo Mumo said the case of patients being mishandled by rogue health officers was one among many happening across the county "but there has never been any attempt to address them".
He asked why Makueni CECs and chief officers are operating from their offices throughout.
The county assembly has been seen by Governor Kivutha Kibwana’s critics as 'toothless' saying the majority were assisted by the administration into office and that they fear being victimised in the next election.
Kathonzweni MCA Francis Mutungi noted that the assembly had been branded a ‘rubber stamp’ for not executing their oversight role saying it was time for the assembly to crack the whip.
“Those who have been accusing us of going to bed with the executive will be proven wrong, let everyone carry his/her cross for the sake of good services to our people," Mutungi said.
While Elizabeth Mutindi (Nominated) noted that the CEC had responded to issues of fraud and financial management that were not raised in the statement, area MCA Ben Kilonzi denied that there has ever been a meeting to address the matter as reported by the CEC.
Kilonzi said it was dangerous for a health officer to handle patients he or she is not in good terms with.
The MCAs said Mulwa was good in paperwork.
In his ruling on the report, the speaker Mbilu directed the committee to invite the CEC to answer questions as the area MCA and the requester of the statement. He told them to involve the community in resolving the matter and table a report within the next seven days.
The assembly has previously complained of delayed responses from Water CEC Robert Kisyula and has also accused other senior officers from the department of ignoring directives from the government.
Health CEC Mulwa, who is out of the country, had not responded to the issues by press time.
Edited by R.Wamochie