How Guv Sang saved finance CEC Lagat – Weekly Citizen

The decision by 31 of the 38 Nandi county assembly members to endorse the impeachment of finance and economic planning CEC CPA Alfred Lagat triggered a flurry of activities in the hitherto sleepy and lackluster office of Governor Stephen Kipyego Sang also known locally by his sloppy slogan Tuga tai (Cows front). He immediately summoned his advisers to an impromptu meeting at a secret location in Eldoret, invited the embattled CEC Lagat for a breakfast meeting at his residence and summoned friendly contractors and suppliers for “tea” at a Nairobi hotel the following day. To observers, the meeting in Nairobi was meant to specifically mobilise resources and face the impeachment monster threatening to strike at the fundamental nerve of government. Sang was also getting worked up by incessant negative stories ruining the image of the county and its leadership.

A source privy to the goings-on in the county has intimated to our writer that “Sang could not sit pretty” and kept warning his insiders of an “imminent” crisis in the county should the assembly adopt the impeachment report. Guv Sang is also said to have instructed selected group of junior finance staff to comb through relevant county documents and assist the CEC prepare for his defence when he appears at the ad-hoc committee headed by Ol Lessos MCA Mengeech Rono and whose membership included Fred Kipkemboi (Kapsabet), Julius Ngetich (Kosirai), Magdalene Rono (Koyo/Ndurio) and Pius Murrey of Kurgung ward.

Back to the plan to cushion Lagat from removal, a series of meetings stretching all the way from Eldoret, Kapsabet, Kobujoi, Nandi Hills, Kisumu to Nairobi were scheduled with the governor personally taking charge of the strategy. He drew a list of government friendly MCAs, the critics and the fence-sitters who could easily be influenced to throw their support the government position in the assembly. It was agreed that Chemase ward MCA Hillary Serem and Kipkirui Chepkwony (Tindiret) be roped in as decoys to pitch for the government and leader of majority David Babu, deputy speaker Wilson Sang and minority leader Eliud Kirongo would back them up in a trio pronged approach. Of using soft power (negotiation), hard power (intimidation) and using money to curry favour from MCAs. Gideon Koech (Nandi Hills) and Walter Teno (Kabiyet) were instructed to puncture the report and attempt to shred the character of the committee chair Rono.

Meanwhile, CPA Lagat had immediately after a meeting with the governor begun planning his defense. He organised a retreat for a select group of finance department staff at a Kabarnet hotel and each member of the group was tasked with debunking each and every allegation labeled against the CEC by the assembly. We have also been informed at the retreat there was a question-answer session where staff were posting likely queries to the CEC to prepare him adequately. The accusations ranged from gross incompetence, gross violation of the constitution to gross misconduct.

When he eventually appeared before the panel, CPA Lagat who seemed composed took approximately seven hours to respond to the queries, erase the grey areas and prove beyond doubt that he was indeed comfortably perched on the cockpit of the key department of government. When the committee retreated to compile their report, they indicted the CEC and recommended in no uncertain terms for his ouster. “That this house adopts this report and resolves to dismiss CPA. Alfred Lagat CEC member pursuant to section 40 (5) (b) of the county government Act, 2012,” read part of the recommendations.

But pro-government MCAs could not give way and they put up a spirited resistance to ward off the ouster by deflating the report amid cheers and jeers in the assembly. At some stage during a highly polarised sitting, the assembly turned into a name-calling arena with words flying to and fro with the indefatigable house speaker Joshua Kiptoo doping all in his power to steady the boat. Kiptoo commonly referred to as Nandi’s Pelosi in reference to his American congress counterpart Nancy Pelosi quoted several sections of the law to control the house. At one time, tempers threatened to get out of hand when word went round that money could have exchanged hands. All this time, Guv Sang was said to be holed up in one of his CEC’s house following the proceeding via Facebook live stream.