Wamatangi eats humble pie over control of bursary kitty

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi. [Standard,file]

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has finally allowed Members of County Assembly (MCAs) to fully manage the county bursary fund.

Wamatangi who has been under pressure from the MCAs over the management of bursary kitty vowed to protect county resources from corrupt individuals.

"I will not stand and watch misuse of Kiambu resources irrespective of pressure from cartels who have held successive regimes hostage, " he said.

Speaking during the distribution of the county bursary cheques for five wards in at St Joseph's Catholic Church in Thurani, Limuru, Governor Wamatangi said going forward the MCAs will be in charge of issuing bursaries cheques in their respective wards.

"l have no problem with your ward leaders. All we are calling for is prudent utilization of Kiambu resources which have in the past been abused for years to meet selfish end,"Wamatangi said.

This came as pressure from MCAs continued to mount on the county boss with calls to involve them in the management of the affairs of Kiambu county.

On Friday, Limuru East ward rep Macharia wa Wambui who is also the new majority leader demanded that governor gives each of the attendees Sh1000.

"Some of our people have come from very far distance they need to be reimbursed for the time and money they have used in an exercise that could have taken place in their home areas," Wa Wambui said.

"Let the issuance of bursaries be the work of Ward admins. We are really inconveniencing our people," Wa Wambui said.

Some residents he said had traveled all the way from as far as Kiawaroga, Ngecha and Rironi to come to Thurani many kilometers away.

Since Wamatangi embarked on his tours of various sub-counties on Tuesday to issue the cheques, he has been met by open criticism from a section of MCAs.

On Tuesday the exercise almost turned ugly in Ruiru's Membley area when a group of youths disrupted the meeting presided over by the county boss.

On Thursday residents of Gatundu Subcounty walked in protest out of the meeting the governor had convened in the area after they were given Sh100 after waiting for him for close to four hours.

Most MCAs are not happy with the decision by the governor to take control of the bursary kitty.

They say since they do not have a ward fund, the bursary allocations is one of the avenues they use to identify and help needy cases within their wards.

Displeased by Wamatangi's governance, leaders in the Kiambu have asked their governor to surrender bursary kitty.

Gathiga MCA Ruth Waithira who is among vocal MCA said the governor is running a one-man show which has seen him under-deliver to the people of Kiambu County.

According to Waithira, Wamatangi is rolling out projects under the Wamatangi Foundation which are of less importance in the county.

"The governor does things without including us in any of the development for the county. He is doing things for himself, for example, the issuing of chicks, how is that a priority when our health services are paralyzed?."

"He has launched several programs including the feeding program but they are all not operational and yet the funds are there. It has been a year now and nothing has been done," said Waithira.

Governor Wamatangi's falling out with the county assembly members early this year caught the attention of the majority of Kiambu MPs.

Fearing imminent impeachment, Wamatangi reached out to his UDA party to save his career.