- Among those shortlisted is re-known agriculturalist Robert Murega Kimarui who retired from public service in 2022.
- Malaba town which is covered by the municipality has been undergoing rapid infrastructural development.
Image: EMOJONG OSERE
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Busia County has shortlisted 11 candidates from applicants who had applied for the position of member Malaba Municipality Board.
The 11 include eight men and three women.
In an advert, the county placed in local dailies, County Public Service Board Secretary Truphena Akide said interviews to fill the five positions will be conducted on March 21, at 9 am at the Malaba Municipality boardroom.
Among the candidates shortlisted is re-known agriculturalist Robert Murega Kimarui who retired from public service last year. At the time of his retirement, he was an Agricultural Extension officer based in Teso North sub-county.
Murega has vast experience in agriculture having worked with both the national and county governments as well as Non-Governmental Organisations in the agriculture docket.
Also on the list is George Okwara Ekirapa who served as County Roads Chief Executive Committee member during governor Sospeter Ojaamong’s 2017-2022 administration. Okwara is a teacher by profession and was once the Knut Teso branch executive secretary.
Both Murega and Ekirapa were picked from Malaba Central ward.
Other shortlisted candidates from the ward include Engineer Moses Jakaa Imagoro, Ruth Obasie, former Malaba Central ward MCA Ishmael Orodi, Dorcas Odhiambo and former ACK Katakwa Diocese Archbishop Eliud Elly Okiring.
Image: EMOJONG OSERE
From Malaba North ward, Mombasa-based businessman Julius Tom Ekweny is on the shortlist.
Malaba-based businesswoman Rose Idewa and Kennedy Imwene Omukada who also made the shortlist are from Malaba South ward while Richard Echudang Olakitar hails from Ang’urai Northward.
Malaba Municipality primarily covers Malaba Central, Malaba North and Malaba South wards.
The municipality, however, covers a section of Amukura West ward in Teso South. The ward border Teso North on the Northern part.
If successfully conducted, the interviews would have happened more than one year after the court stopped the hiring of the municipality board members.
The suspension of the hiring in 2021 was stopped after residents in the municipality accused the County Public Service Board of shortlisting candidates who were not residents of the municipality.
Those who went to court led by Okoit Lok’Etyang also accused the County Public Service Board of conducting the process of actualising operations in the municipality without public participation.
Malaba’s municipality status was gazetted on April 29, 2020, to become the second municipality in the county under the Urban Areas and Cities Act, of 2011.
Image: EMOJONG OSERE
Its constitution into a municipality was approved by a resolution of the County Assembly of Busia in its sitting of the second assembly, the fourth session held on March 5, 2020.
Then Governor Sospeter Ojaamong granted the border town municipality status by a charter dated March 27, 2020, and which came into force on April 7, 2020.
Subsequently, it has been gazetted for public information in the Kenya Gazette No 75 of April 24, 2020, incorporating Gazette notice No.3247 of April 7, 2020, on the commencement date of the Malaba Municipality Charter.
Malaba’s elevation into a municipality is expected to bring in tremendous resources from the county and national governments and development partners in terms of infrastructure development.
The border town has been undergoing rapid infrastructural development.
The Kocholia Dam project which is financed by Korean Exim Bank and the Ang’ololo Dam project also financed by ADB in partnership with the Kenyan and Ugandan governments are some of the multi-billion projects expected to benefit the municipality.
The three water projects are mega investments that are projected to turn around the economy of the region, besides residents receiving clean water and improved sewerage systems.