Governor Salim Mvurya faces removal over bursary cash row

Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya

Some 32 Members of the Kwale County Assembly have resolved to impeach Governor Salim Mvurya as a row over the control of Sh400 million bursary kitty threatens to spill over.

Sunday, the MCAs led by Speaker Sammy Ruwa held a rally in Diani where they vowed to topple Mr Mvurya if he did not release the money to the 20 wards despite an objection by the controller of budget.

The threat to Mvurya's administration gathered steam Sunday after Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) top officials in the county, led by Matuga MP Hassan Mwanyoha, backed the MCAs.

"If what is being talked about by MCAs is according to the law and that the governor should go then he must go. He (Mvurya) has been a lone ranger who does not want to listen other leaders," Mr Mwanyoha said.

Sunday, it also emerged that secondary school and university students, including 68 in India supported by the bursary fund, risked being kicked out of their respective institutions following the standoff.

However, more than 50 elders from the 20 wards Sunday met in Kwale town and resolved to summon the MCAs. The elders accused the lawmakers of sabotaging Mvurya's administration leading to the withholding of the money.

Abrupt wealth

The elders led by Sheikh Kassim Zani from Golini Tsimba ward raised concern over what they termed as "abrupt wealth" by some of the MCAs and demanded a life styles audit.

"We have summoned all the MCAs to appear before us and explain why they cannot work with the governor. The education of thousands of children from poor families is at stake as the fees paid through this kitty has not been disbursed to the schools," Mr Zani said.

But MCAs shot back saying some county executives have become rich overnight and should be investigated.

"We have said that some executives have become overnight millionaires and detached from the problems facing wananchi at the grassroots, hence becoming stumbling blocks to the policies passed by the county assembly," Ndavaya MCA Juma Masoud said.

Last evening, it emerged that Mvurya had reached out to the MCAs with a view to reconciling with them and the two sides were to in a hotel in Diani. In the County Budget Act 2014, the MCAs had wanted to be patrons of the bursary fund in their respective wards but the controller of budget said it was against the Constitution and hence withheld the funds.

On October 9, the Kwale county executive wrote to the county assembly giving the controller of budget's feedback and seeking amendment to the Act in order for the fund to be released. "We have submitted the amendments to the county assembly," Mvurya said Sunday. Mr Ruwa and Mvurya's political advisor Francis Ndiege held a reconciliation meeting Sunday.

United front

"We are meeting with them and what I can tell you is that it will be very soon. The purpose is to forge a united front," Mr Ndiege said. Ruwa confirmed the meeting with the governor Sunday, but said he did not know the agenda.

"Yes, we will be meeting with him and that is why we have come here briefly to tell our people what is happening. It is from that meeting that we will know if the rallies are to continue or not," he said. Asked about the pending impeachment that the speaker and other MCAs have been pushing for he said: "Impeachment is legal and the MCAs have a right to impeach anyone even the speaker and no one should get worried."