- Arati previously denied the accusations saying the staff audits were not ill-intentioned or driven by a witch-hunt.
- During a burial in Nyaribari Masaba, Deputy Governor Robert Monda said their administration would not be swayed by criticism.
Image: MAGATI OBEBO
The bitter fallout between Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and Governor Simba Arati gathered pace over the weekend with the Senator accusing Arati of favouritism.
The Senator was on Saturday joined by MPs from the larger Kitutu region at Abagetutu Leaders Forum where Onyonka termed the ongoing staff transfers "vindictive, lacking merit and ill-informed."
Onyonka accused Arati of the alleged transfer of county staff without consultation and failure to give residents priority in employment.
Arati previously denied the accusations saying the staff audits were not ill-intentioned or driven by a witch-hunt.
"There is no witch hunt, these are baseless arguments," the governor said in a recent press conference.
During a burial in Nyaribari Masaba, Deputy Governor Robert Monda said their administration would not be swayed by criticism.
"It is just two months, give us time to work," he said in response to Onyonka.
At the centre of the titanic duel are recent massive transfers of doctors, most of them specialists, to far-flung health facilities within the county.
Onyonka termed the transfers an intellectual and skill wastage.
The battle between the two county leaders has roped in some MCAs who at a Sunday press conference responded to Onyonka describing the attacks on Arati as reckless and demeaning of his senator's office.
The MCAs said the Kitutu leaders were punching above their weight by picking a fight with the governor.
They especially took issue with statements that cast aspersions on their work in oversighting the Arati administration.
"We did not expect to begin arguing about seats in the ward or constituency, he (Onyonka) is a leader who should be uniting us, not dividing us," the MCAs said in a joint statement read by Tabaka MCA Jimmy Kenyanya.
On Saturday, Onyonka and Kitutu Chache North MP Anthony Kibagendi and Japhet Nyakundi said that they have a stake in the leadership of the county regarding county staff employment.
"We campaigned for him and as such, we have a stake. The dilemma is that he turns down any requests we make to him. He has not considered a single soul from here," Onyonka said.
The leaders were speaking at Monarc Hotel in Mosocho during the Abagetutu Consultative Forum.
Onyonka said similar consultative forums would continue across the county to engage wananchi on issues related to service delivery.
The Senator said he was not against staff audit but queried the manner it was being done.
In late August, Arati expressed shock over the bloated staff employed as drivers in Kisii county.
He said up to 256 drivers had been recruited by the previous government against 82 functioning vehicles, Arati said.
On September 1, the governor paraded drivers of the county government at the Gusii Stadium for a physical headcount.
"You can't parade and shame staff and we keep quiet, they have names and dignity to save," Onyonka said.
The senator warned that the battle with Arati is going to be long-drawn, sentiments that were echoed by Kibagendi and Nyakundi.