Meru senator faults Mwangaza's leadership style

Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi who is also Senate Deputy Speaker, has given Governor Kawira Mwangaza a poor scorecard on performance.

Speaking he delivered the State of the County Address in Meru assembly on Wednesday, Murungi claimed that Mwangaza's administration had discriminated against some wards in terms of development.

He took issue with the governor's development plans.

He cited Mwangaza’s decision to hand a project to upgrade roads to the Mechanical and Transport Fund (MTF), a division domiciled in the national government’s Ministry of Roads and Transport.

The governor signed an agreement with MTF to undertake Sh531 million road projects dubbed ‘Mwangaza Barabarani’, saying it was cheaper than local contractors.

The senator faulted the governor's decision to award the projects to a national government agency instead of local contractors.

“In my view, this move reverses gains made in the empowerment of local contractors and engagement of local communities, particularly the youth. It essentially returns resources to the national government instead of building capacity at the county level,” Murungi told MCAs.

He said by handing the project to the national government, the county government acted as an enabler of capital flight from Meru County, denying local contractors opportunities and those directly employed by them.

“The MTF has no capacity to handle all 45 wards in Meru county in one financial year. The roads in the majority of the wards have not been attended for the last two rainy seasons. Therefore the Meru County residents have not gotten value for money for the Sh51 million that was transferred to MTF,” he said.

Murungi further said that the administration failed to demonstrate zeal in providing quality health care to residents.

“I have taken time to visit some of our health facilities, and it is apparent that most of them are either non-functional or are not optimally functional due to inadequate staffing and the unavailability of most of the basic drugs,” he said.

“The Senate will invite the governor to appear before its watchdog committee, the County Public Accounts Committee to respond to the audit queries raised by the office of the Auditor General,” he stated.

Murungi vowed to ensure oversight of Mwangaza's administration.