Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has pledged to strengthen
partnerships and mobilize more resources for counties as he assumes leadership
of a key committee at the Council of Governors (CoG).
The second-term county chief was on Monday elected chairperson of the CoG’s Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Committee
during the council’s internal elections.
“I look forward to working closely with all our development
partners, fellow committee chairs, and all members of the Council as we
continue to advance our shared vision and strengthen devolution across the
country,” Governor Sang said.
Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi and Nyeri Governor Mutahi
Kahiga were re-elected as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Council,
respectively.
Until his election to head the committee, Sang had served as
the CoG Whip for three consecutive terms. He is also the pioneer Senator for
Nandi County.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity it gave me to
contribute to the leadership of the Council in that capacity,” he added.
The Resource Mobilization and Partnerships docket is
familiar territory for Governor Sang, who, before joining politics, worked with
several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in governance, democracy, and
community development initiatives.
He served as a consultant on governance and democracy issues
with organizations such as DFID, SEA, USAID, KTL, and various community-based
organizations.
Earlier in his career, Sang worked with the Emo Justice,
Peace and Reconciliation Commission (EMO JPRC), where he was involved in
peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts in the Rift Valley region following
the 2007/08 post-election violence.
As governor, Sang has championed infrastructural development
and reforms across the health, agriculture, transport, and education sectors in
Nandi County.
In 2019, he was recognized among the Most Influential Young
Africans in the Law and Governance category by the Africa Youth Awards. In the
same year, the County Government of Nandi was ranked second globally in the Open
Government Partnership Innovations Awards.
An Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Sang made history in
2013 when he was elected as the pioneer Nandi Senator.
During his tenure in the Senate, Sang served as Chairperson
of the Sessional Committee on Delegated Legislation, Vice-Chairperson of the
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, and as Kenya’s parliamentary
representative to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Among his notable initiatives was a petition seeking
compensation for Nandi residents affected by historical injustices, including
the Talai clan’s claims against the British colonial government.
Some of these claims are still under consideration by the
National Land Commission (NLC) and the courts.
Sang also played a pivotal role in the establishment and
resource allocation for Koitalel Samoei University, officially launched by
former President Uhuru Kenyatta in July 2017.
The completion of the Memorial University in Nandi Hills is
expected during President William Ruto’s administration.
He is credited with sponsoring several bills, including the
County Development Boards Bill, County Statutory Instruments Bill, County Hall
of Fame Bill, County Assembly Services Bill, and the Office of the County
Printer Bill.
Others include the County Governments (Amendment) Bill, the Office of the County Attorney Bill, and the County Boundaries Review Bill.
The County Development Boards Act—popularly known as the Sang
Bill—was designed to create a framework for county leaders to coordinate
development projects, prevent duplication, and ensure prudent use of county
funds.
