Council of Elders to Sue Mung’aro Over CeC Nomination
By Ronald Ngoba
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
The Jibana Council of Elders in Kaloleni Constituency has threatened to move to court to challenge Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro’s County Executive Committee Members list.
The group, a sub-ethnic tribe of the Mijikenda claims Mung’aros list was not properly constituted as it failed to capture the diversity of the county and contravenes the constitution.
Addressing Journalists in Nyalani Village, Kaloleni Sub County Jibana Council of elders secretary Amon Chiponda faulted Mung’aro for nominating a Giriama-dominated executive committee.
“The Jibana community being the minority tribe among the Mijikenda has not been represented in the cabinet. Yet other communities have clearly been overrepresented. The Giriama community for example has been given seven slots in the cabinet. We are aware of the fact that it is through representation that resources shall reach all the sub-communities hence the need to ensure equal representation,” Chiponda said.
Chiponda said the community has given Mung’aro ultimatum of three days to reconstitute his executive committee or they move to court to seek redress.
Silas Mwangade, a member of the Jibana Professionals, said Mung’aro’s nomination list contravened part five of the county government act on formation of county executive.
“Section 35 clearly states the governor shall, when nominating members of the executive committee ensure that to the fullest extent possible, the composition of the executive committee reflects the community and cultural diversity of the county. Kilifi has seven out of the nine Mijikenda subtribes, we expected each subtribe to get one slot and then the three to go to other communities in the county,” he said
Chiponda said the community had forwarded to the governor CV’s of six professionals from the community for consideration but none was picked.
“Of the six CV’s we forwarded, the one with the lowest level of education has a PhD. Does it mean they did not qualify? We have been marginalized for long and we will move to court if the governor does not heed our call,” added Chiponda.
On Monday, Mung’aro named his executive committee which now awaits vetting by the county assembly of Kilifi.
The community further accused Mung’aro of appointing close relatives and his campaigners during the just concluded August general election to the cabinet.