Samboja's four executives resign to join politics

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Four senior county officials have resigned to concentrate on campaigns.

Lands Executive Julius Mwandawiro Mghanga, his Water counterpart Esther Mwanyumba and Public Service Chief Officer Simon Mwachia are among senior officials who resigned to join politics. 

County Legal Officer and board member of the Taita-Taveta Sewerage Company John Bwire also resigned. He will vie for Taveta MP seat currently held by Dr Naomi Shaban.

Mghanga, the Communist Party of Kenya chairman and a former fiery Wundanyi legislator will vie for the Senate against Senator Jones Mwaruma of ODM.

Other Senate aspirants are former MP Thomas Mwadeghu (Wiper party), Stephen Njumwa Saleka, Nathaniel Noti and John Righa Mwachofi all allied to UDA.

Mwachia, who unsuccessfully vied for the Wundanyi seat on a Jubilee ticket in the last election, will battle it out with the incumbent legislator Danson Mwashako of Wiper.

Samboja’s Gender Advisor Princilla Mwangeka also issued notice of resignation. Ms Mwangeka, who is a former Voi mayor, is yet to declare the position she will be going for. Earlier, Governor Samboja said six executives had declared interest in various elective positions. He said the executives had already issued notices to resign this month.

“Six executives have already given notices to resign. It is their constitutional right to join politics,” said Samboja.

Yesterday, Mghanga, Mwanyumba and Mwachia tendered their resignation letters to the governor.

“I gave a notice of resignation to the governor two months ago. I took my resignation letter to the governor yesterday,” Mghanga said yesterday.

Speaking to The Standard after his resignation, the former legislator declared he would support the governor’s re-election bid in the August polls.

Ms Mwanyumba will battle it out with Women Rep Ms Lydia Haika.

Haika and Mwashako had hit out at the governor accusing him of allegedly sponsoring aspirants to oppose them in next year’s election.

“I have not imposed any aspirant to oppose the two politicians. It is the democratic right of the two executives to join politics,” said the governor. He said the two had panicked ahead of the General Election.

But Mwashako and Haika said they were ready to face the governor’s ‘political projects’ come the next election.

They claimed the governor had sponsored Mwachia and Ms Mwanyumba to battle it out with them in the next polls.

“We are ready to face the governor’s political projects in the next polls and no amount of intimidation will prevent us from winning,” vowed Mwashako.

“The two MPs have panicked. Several people have declared interest inmy seat but I have not complained. Why are they panicking,” posed the governor.