Kilifi Governor Faults Raila on State Collaboration
By Mwakwaya Raymond
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya leader Raila Odinga has been criticized for his directive restricting ODM governors from conducting business with the head of state.
Gideon Mung’aro, Kilifi County governor, dismissed his party leader’s sentiments saying it was unconstitutional and he should avoid such petty politics.
According to him national and county governments’ interaction was well enshrined in the Constitution for purposes of fostering development in the devolved units.
Restricting governors from working with the government in power, he says would cause challenges that required partnership of the two sets of governments to resolve.
“The electorates are the ones who voted for the constitution and they’re the very people who elected both the governors and the head of state so you can’t stop the two tiers of governance from any kind of collaboration whatsoever.”
Governor Mung’aro explains that for any meaningful development to be realized the heads of the two tiers of government have to be in frequent consultations and agreements for county governments to implement some of their program.
Raila has of late been instructing his ODM governors not to collaborate with Dr. William Ruto who was trying to woo them to abandon Azimio for his faction.
Already, a number of legislators have been ejected from ODM for working with the President without consent from the party.
Lang’ata MP Felix Oduor, Senator Tom Ojienda (Kisumu) among others have been expelled from the party for defying party orders.
However, those legislators have since filed objections of their dismissal terming that as unfair and unconstitutional.
On the other hand, Public Services Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa castigated the opposition leader Raila Odinga for selectively using expulsion to deal with his party charges.
She wondered why Raila was unleashing terror to specific legislators and governors while others walked scort free yet they worked closely with the head of state.
“I want to tell Raila to stop this kind of nepotism because you can’t stop a section of the leaders from collaborating with the head of state while others are ever in consultation with him.”
