AG backs Governors take on County Commissioners

NAIVASHA, KENYA: Attorney General Githu Muigai has supported concern by governors on County Commissioner saying that he was opposed to their appointment from the onset and had advised the government accordingly.

He said that the commissioners were appointed under the old law but was still investigating whether they have been factored in the new dispensation.

According to him, the law was very clear and the governors had the authority to execute their mandate as outlined in the constitution.

“Governors will be responsible for the running of the counties as far as the law is concerned and I don’t know where the other reports are coming from”.

On the issue of flying flags, Muigai said that there was a law pending in parliament which enacted would see the emblems act amended.

He advised governors seeking to fly the flags to design their own county Logos, emblems, court of arms and flags and have them registered in his office.

“You can have them registered with the AGs office and then you will start flying your own county flag as opposed to having the National flag on your vehicle.

And for the third day governors attending their retreat in Naivasha took the state to task over the commissioners who are in the counties despite a court order.

The leaders said the commissioners were acting illegally saying that the state had been defiant over their wellbeing in the county.

According to them, a court order had barred the commissioners from assuming their new statues but the state had continued to pay them illegally.

Led by Kiambu county governor William Kabogo, the governors said they would not accept them as they were duplicating their duties.

“We will not work with these commissioners as they are nowhere in the constitution and we do not understand their mandate”.

During the conference governors caused a light moment when they inquired the titles they will be referred to.

After a heated debate the Transitional Authority through its chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi agreed with the governors that they assume the title ‘His Excellency’ as there was no law prohibiting such title.

Earlier, the commission on revenue allocation chairman Micah Cheserem said treasury had released Ksh 9.8bn to for the governors and their staff to settle down.

He said the commission had requested for ksh 30bn but treasury only gave the amount owing to several factors.

“I call on all the governors to settle in quickly so as to start their work when the national budget is read two months from now”.

Cheserem said after the budget counties will share sh 231billion from the national budget but there will be an equalization fund for poorer counties which will share sh 3billion more.

“This translates to 34 percent of the sharable revenue while 14 counties will benefit with the additional equalization fund”.

During the conference the chair of the Salaries and remuneration commission Sarah Serem failed to appear in the meeting despite been allocated time to address the governors.