Give us some work to do, we're idling, deputy governors plead with Senate

Deputy Governors have told the Senate that their positions have been rendered irrelevant because the law is silent on the duties they are supposed to execute.

They cited a legal gap regarding their distinct functions, which has forced many to remain inactive until the end of their terms to avoid conflict with governors.

The Deputy Governors Caucus Chairperson, Reuben Kamuri (Laikipia), who led a team of 10 deputy governors before the Senate Devolution Committee, revealed that 90 per cent of his members were idle, as they had not been assigned any functions.

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Kamuri informed the committee, chaired by Wajir Senator Sheikh Abbass, that most counties have budgets for the office of the Governor, while the office of the Deputy Governor has no financial allocation.

“The issue at hand is about dignifying the office of the Deputy Governor. It is not about competing with governors, but about ensuring there are clearly defined roles for the Deputy Governor so that there is uniformity, rather than a few working well with their Governors while the rest are sidelined,” said Kamuri.

The Laikipia deputy governor stated that while he enjoys a good working relationship with Governor Joshua Irungu, the same cannot be said of other deputy governors, some of whom are not invited to County Executive Committee meetings, with their roles assigned to County Executive Committee members.

The deputy governors, who appeared before the committee to contribute to the County Governments Amendment Bill 2024, sponsored by Senate Deputy Speaker Kathuri Murungi, said they want their roles to be backed by financial allocation so that they can effectively discharge their mandate.

They proposed an amendment to the bill requiring deputy governors to attend county executive committee meetings as a member, pursuant to Article 179(2) of the Constitution, and to be given at least three days’ notice of such meetings.

“We recommend that the deputy governor shall chair all county executive sub-committees, oversee the implementation of county executive committee resolutions across all departments in the county, and assist the governor in the coordination and supervision of departments,” said Kamuri.

They are also seeking to oversee the County Government Service Delivery Unit responsible for implementing development projects. Additionally, they want to attend Summit, Inter-Budgetary Economic Council, and Sub-Committee meetings in the absence of the governor.

They are also advocating for the coordination of disaster risk management, planning, and supervising disaster management and response within the county, as well as performing any other functions assigned by the governor.

Moreover, they want county governments to make necessary budgetary provisions for the proper functioning of the office of the Deputy Governor, including appointing a Chief Officer to manage the office’s affairs and assigning an accountant to manage the financial resources.

“During the general election, we are elected jointly, but once in office, we can no longer work well together, despite the role we played in getting elected. We have professionals and top-notch experts in our caucus who are ready to serve their country, but they are not being allowed to work,” said Kamuri.

Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol, who has political differences with his boss James Orengo, emphasised the need for budgets, adding that it has to be done in a way that does not make governors feel threatened, as they are not in competition but are there to serve their residents.

Oduol informed the committee that despite the senators visiting Siaya to reconcile him with Orengo, the situation remains tense. He called for a recourse in cases where deputy governors are not invited to Cabinet meetings, stating that he has never been invited to any.

“Despite the Senate visiting Siaya County, I have never been invited to the County Executive Committee meetings. One time, I tried to attend a meeting without the Governor’s invitation, and goons were unleashed on me. We need to have a recourse if this happens,” said Oduol.

Nandi Deputy Governor Yualita Mitei noted that only about five Deputy Governors are serving a second term with their Governors, highlighting that the constitution intended for teamwork, but in some cases, Deputy Governors are locked out or given the cold shoulder in their workstations.

Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka stated that the Senate should figure out a way within the law for deputy governors to have specific responsibilities and an independent budget to shield them from frustrations by the Governors.

“The responsibilities of the Deputy Governors should be safeguarded to protect them from being bullied by the Governors,” he said.