- Advises Governor to listen to expert advice.
- Osoro tells Governor to create job opportunities not sack staff
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro have taken on their Governor, Simba Arati, over the burial of garbage in trenches to deal with waste management challenges.
Onyonka said burying garbage on public farms would spark an eco-disaster if not stopped this early.
Osoro on his part told Arati off about plans to shed off staff on account of managing the wage bill.
The two who were speaking during a burial in Nyakoe, Mosocho Friday said they will not remain silent as the residents suffer.
"Why keep threatening staff with sacking? You came and found them there and the systems were working. They are Kenyans they should be left to work and earn a living, they are earning from the government, not a personal business," said Osoro.
Onyonka asked the County to scout for an alternative site for dirt disposal and not dig trenches and bury it there in blatant disregard of the potential health hazards.
"These are the issues we raise and appear not to be reading from the same script with him from and we are branded uninformed critics," Senator Onyonka said.
He told the residents that there were no other private issues creating a wedge between them but his (Arati) governance style.
"Go and tell those who say we are fighting. There is no fight here. We however want a special meeting presided over by elders and give the governor counsel," Onyonka told mourners.
National Environmental Management Agency, Nema, has already written to Arati expressing their disapproval of the burying of the waste in trenches.
Currently, the trenches are being dug at Kari Primary and farms at the Agricultural Training Centre.
At Kari, teachers said the governor was exposing the children to health hazards.
By Thursday, the Star spotted garbage deliveries to the ATC farms as fury grew among the stakeholders.
On Friday, Onyoka said the continued burying of garbage in trenches betrays ignorance on the side of the Arati to embrace modern methods in garbage management.
"Let him engage experts, what he is doing is a grave environmental injustice that must be addressed as soon as possible," Onyonka stated.
Onyonka further said they have heard unfruitful conversations with Arati about the need to distribute positions equitably.
"I still insist that we don't just need a head count but also a full audit to see how each clan unit is represented in the service," fumed Onyonka.
The Senator appeared riled by the appointment of two senior executives from Nyaribari Masaba to the detriment of other areas in the County.
Kisii has nine constituencies with each considered a clan unit but Nyaribari Masaba and Nyaribari Chache are considered one unit together with Bomachoge Chache and Bomachoge Borabu.
Onyonka said Arati's government fails the credibility test of regional balancing.
"You cannot pick a few friends from here and there, aunts and cousins from there and give them jobs and call that representative," warned Onyonka.
He told him to engage the doctors instead of trying to intimidate them with sackings.
"Is that what we call governance, is that how he should rule? Staff would always have issues from time to time and you can only win them over by dialogue, not threats," he told Arati.
Osoro told Arati to think of creating more employment opportunities than sending home staff on flimsy grounds.
"If every governor who wins is in the business of sacking where shall our sons and daughters work? Think of opportunities, expand systems," Osoro told Arati.
The burial was also attended by MPs Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South) and Japhet Nyakundi (Kitutu Chache North)