Homa Bay County appoints Principal Chief to coordinate government functions

In the national government administration structure, a chief in Homa Bay county has a unique title.

Joshua Chwanya Ochogo, Chief of Homa Bay Town location, has been promoted to County Principal Chief.

The title "County Principal Chief" appears to be unique because many Kenyans are unfamiliar with it. It is the highest rank attainable by a chief. In a county, only one chief can hold the title.

However, the County Principal Chief continues to serve as the location's chief.

On Thursday evening, Ochogo was installed in Homa Bay town during a colourful ceremony presided over by Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan and Deputy County Commissioner Jude Wasonga.

Unclear roles

Many Homa Bay residents seemed perplexed about the role of the office holder prior to the inauguration ceremony. Everyone kept asking each other about the roles of a county principal chief, but no one had a definitive answer.

It wasn't until Mr Lilan stood up to explain what a county principal chief does that it made sense.

A county principal chief, according to Lilan, is responsible for intervening in societal problems involving more than one sub-county or community that require a solution from a government official with experience on local issues.

On such matters, the principal chief will take the lead in collaboration with other chiefs in the area.

The Principal Chief is also responsible for resolving ethnic issues that a Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) or Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) may be unable to resolve due to ethnic barriers. "Sometimes, a government official with local experience is required to solve a problem.

"In some cases, we may feel there is no need to engage a DCC or ACC. We will send Ochogo to the community to meet elders and come to an agreement on how to solve the problem," Lilan said.

Coordination of national government functions, disaster management where the national government should respond, promoting law and order in liaison with security agencies, implementation of the Nyumba Kumi initiative, gathering security intelligence on the ground and sharing with government authorities, monitoring and reporting movement of aliens, and co-ordinating activities of various committees at various administrative levels are among the other roles.

The Public Service Commission is in charge of hiring county principal chiefs (PSC).

Competitive process

According to Lilan, Ochogo was promoted after a competitive process in which 10 chiefs from Homa Bay County applied for the position. Shortlisting was completed in Homa Bay before submitting a list of five applicants to the PSC in Nairobi.

"We selected five chiefs for this position and forwarded their information to the PSC in Nairobi. The PCS result revealed that Ochogo was hired," Lilan said.

Ochogo will be assigned an office in the county commissioner's compound to carry out his duties.

During the installation, Ochogo was given various items to serve as power symbols for his new roles.

"We've given him all the tools of the trade to ensure he meets the government's expectations in performing his duty," Lilan said.

Wasonga urged chiefs to work with Ochogo in their new positions.

"All we want is proper collaboration to enable us to achieve our goal," Wasonga said.

Ochogo, who is now in his 26th year as a chief, expressed gratitude for the new position. Ochogo worked as a teacher for 11 years before becoming a chief.

"I thank my bosses, fellow chiefs, and the public for their assistance in allowing me to obtain this position," Ochogo said.