Pastor cries foul after MCAs reject nomination to Mwingi board

Pastor Eunice Mwikali and Everlyne Mutheu, who were nominated  by Governor Julius Malombe, said on Thursday their rejection following vetting was unfair as they were qualified.

On Wednesday, the  Kitui county assembly unanimously approved a report by the committee on appointments on the vetting of nominees for appointment as members of the Mwingi municipality board.

The report recommended the approval of five of  the seven vetted nominees but rejected Mwikali and Mutheu on the grounds that they did not qualify for the positions they sought according to Section 14 of the Urban Areas and Cities Act.                                                                                                                                              

Those approved  for appointment were  Alex Mwanzia, Roland Kamotho, Lydia Kitonga, Mbuvi Musyimi and Dr John  Muthuka.

But on Thursday Mwikali and Mutheu insisted that they held the right qualifications for the job they sought and were in shock that they were rejected.

Mwikali said she had a bachelor's degree from the globally recognised Vision Christian Bible College and Seminary of Florida USA. Mutheu said she held a genuine diploma from Kreston College.

“It  took me four  good  years  of constant study in order to graduate with a degree. The college where I studied was established in 1999 and is well known all over the world," Mwikali said.

“I am disappointed to be told that my qualifications cannot be recognised in Kenya,” Mwikali told the  Star on phone on Thursday.

She appealed  to the Kitui county assembly members  to rescind the decision to lock her out of the Mwingi municipality job as it was not justified.

Mutheu said the college where she acquired her diploma was a well  known and  authorised by the government body that regulates Tvets.

“Although I feel that I was treated unfairly, I will rest the matter there. Being a businesswoman,  I will continue doing what I am used to and wait for another chance  to serve the people of Kitui in future,” said Mutheu on phone.

The chairman of the Mwingi pastors association that forwarded Mwikali’s name to Malombe as a nominee to the Mwingi municipal board, Rev Julius Nyerere, said her rejection was a slap in the face of the church.

“We did thorough vetting and background checks before we gave out Pastor Mwikali’s name. She is qualified and her certificates are genuine and authentic.

“The Kitui assembly could be having a sinister agenda against the church,” Rev Nyerere said on phone.

Kitui assembly speaker Kevin Katisya said that the decision of the assembly was perfectly within the law as the certificates presented by the two were not from institutions that are recognised in Kenya.

He added that in the case of Mutheu the institution from where  she claimed to have acquired her qualification disowned the certificates.

“The assembly had no option but  to lock the two out,” Katisya said.

He said that  since the assembly had approved  the appointment of five  members of the Mwingi municipal board, Governor Malombe should proceed to gazette them so that they can start working.

“In the meantime, we expect Governor Malombe to nominate other two ladies and forward their names to the county assembly for vetting and approval in due course,” Katisya said.