- The election conducted at a city hotel was by consensus to avoid the divisive secret balloting.
- It was earlier indicated that the county chiefs would face off in a battle of numbers in the elections but later opted for negotiated settlement.
Image: COG
Governors allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM boss Raila Odinga on Thursday outmanoeuvred those allied to Deputy President William Ruto to bag most of the seats in the Council of Governors elections.
The election conducted at a city hotel was by consensus to avoid the divisive secret balloting.
It was earlier indicated that the county chiefs would face off in a battle of numbers in the elections but later opted for negotiated settlement.
Media reports had indicated that fissures had emerged in the powerful club with the county chiefs taking sides along the Raila-Ruto dichotomy.
Sources had indicated that Raila’s Azimio wing of the divide was pushing for retention of the current line up while Ruto’s UDA side was for Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago to take on Wambora for the chairmanship.
But the settlement follows an established precedent in the past polls where the governors desist from heated partisanship in the council.
The Embu governor retained his position as the council boss and will continue to be deputised by Kisii Governor James Ongwae. Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos also retained his position of council whip.
It is understood that UDA team wanted Tharaka Nithi's Muthomi Njuki to face Ongwae for the vice-chairmanship.
West Pokot governor, who is in the Azimio wing, was also reported to be going for whip position. UDA’s Stephen Sang of Nandi was also reported to be salivating for the whip position with the support of the DP’s troops.
But Wambora announced that the process was peaceful despite the outfit bringing together governors from different partisan interests.
"We have successfully concluded the peaceful election of the council's leadership," he said.
He added, "The CoG prides itself for being a body that brings together members from different political backgrounds and yet we are able to put the interest of the county governments first."
For the committees, the current heads retained their positions with minimal changes.
Lonyangapuo will now head a newly created committee of energy, roads, transport and infrastructure. He previously headed the Arid and Semi-Arids committee which will now be headed by Mandera governor Ali Roba.
After the exercise, the governors announced that among other things, they will continue championing constitutional amendment drives to have more money sent to the counties.
"The Council of Governors will continue to support and promote increase of county allocations to a minimum of 35 per cent of all revenue collected. This will enable counties to fully implement the devolved functions as provided for in the fourth schedule of the constitution," they said in a statement.
The amendments have been championed by proponents of BBI whose face has been Raila. The proposed changes were however struck down by the courts but verdict on appeal at the Supreme court is due anytime.
Two weeks ago, 30 out of the 47 governors declared their support for Raila’s presidency. They comprised governors elected on Jubilee and ODM party tickets.
-Edited by SKanyara