Assembly creates two new offices amid Elachi, Ngwele wrangles, MCAs yet to receive June salaries

The Nairobi County Assembly Service Board has created two new positions in the office of the clerk, aimed at averting wrangles in future.

Currently, the squabbles between Speaker Beatrice Elachi and Clerk Jacob Ngwele have led to a nasty stalemate, delaying MCAs' and assembly staffers' June salaries.

The board has created two Deputy Clerk positions, with one in charge of administration and the other legislative services.

The move has been necessitated by the ongoing wrangles pitting Elachi against Ngwele over the control of the city assembly finances.

The duo is currently embroiled in court cases, with the speaker arguing that Ngwele was illegally appointed into office. Ngwele maintains that he is the substantive clerk and signatory of the assembly accounts.

Ngwele has, however, been barred from accessing the assembly, leading to the salary delays. Consequently, acting Clerk Pauline Akuku has been appointed as one of the bearers of the office of Deputy Clerk in charge of administration.

Elachi, who also doubles up as the chairperson of the Service Board, said the creation of the two new positions was important to ensure operations of the assembly are not interrupted in future, as is the situation currently.

“After a competitive recruitment process, Akuku has been appointed the first occupant of the position of Deputy Clerk in charge of administration,” said Elachi.

She also explained that the development was part of appointment of 17 new senior officers at the assembly by the board.

The appointments have, however, attracted criticism from fellow members of the board, who now claim they were not included in the process.