Lamu, KENYA: The County Assembly has rejected two County Executive nominees on technical and corruption grounds respectively.
Florence Ndung’u had been fronted as nominee for CEC in the docket of Agriculture and Water Development while Dismas Tolle Mwasambu had been nominated as CEC for Trade ,Tourism and Industralization.
The two were among a list of six individuals nominated by Governor Fahim Twaha as the preferred candidateds for the various CEC positions in the county.
The two failed to pass the vetting test at the county assembly hall two weeks ago, when they appeared before the county vetting board.
A report tabled in the house by the County Assembly Committee on Appointments on the vettimg of the CECs on Wednesday afternoon and which was personally tabled by Leader of Majority and Mkomani Ward MCA Yahya Shee, indicated that Mwasambu’s nomination had been rejected on technical grounds while Ndung’u had been rejected on graft allegations.
The clear and more indepth report on the allegations shall be communicated to the appointing auntority in due time.
“In conducting the vetting process, the Committee on Appointments examined the nominees against the following criteria, amongst others, in accordance with the Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act of 2017 which included academic qualifications, employment record, professional affiliations, potential conflict of interest, knowledge of the relevant subject, overall suitability for the position, tax compliance and integrity.These two,Mwasambu and Ndung’u failed to meet some of the slated criteria and are hereby rejected as nominees for CEC,” said Shee.
He however said once and if the issues leading to their rejection are settled to the satisfaction of the committee,the nominees will again be presented to the assembly for consideration and approval.
The report was unanimously adopted by the assembly.
Four of the nominees were however promptly approved by the assembly as dully qualified for the CEC dockets they had been nominated for.
Those approved include Tana River County Secretary Abdu Godana Dae who will head the Fisheries, Livestock and Cooperative Development docket, Governor Fahim Twaha’s running mate in the 2013 General Elections Raphael Munyua who will take the Health Services, Environment and Sanitation docket, former Lamu Town Clerk Ahmed Hemed who will head the Finance and Economic Planning docket and Fahima Araphat who will head the Lands, Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development.
The four will be sworn-in at the Mokowe County Headquarters today (Thursday) at noon.
Governor Fahim Twaha will himself double up as CEC for County Public Service docket while his deputy Abdulhakim Aboud takes on Education docket.
Fahim said he decided to divide the two CEC dockets between him and his deputy in order to reduce costs that would have been spent hiring two individuals for the posts.
