Nyagarama, deputy differ over cabinet shuffle – Weekly Citizen

Five months after the expiry of tenure of 10 members of Nyamira county executive committee, Governor John Nyagarama after engaging in a mouse and cat games over the new appointments, abruptly swang into action by retaining five members of his favourite club, rejected the extension of four members and brought in four new faces, causing an uproar from a section of leaders and members of the public. Governor Nyagarama’s deputy Amos Nyaribo immediately came out and took the lead in denouncing the changes which he said were done behind his back and were geared at injuring him politically and undermining his aspirations for the seat of the governor which he has already declared. Without mincing words, Nyaribo rubbished the changes terming them as inconsequential as they were politically motivated and influenced, nepotistic and above all, lacked regional balance. The emotionally charged Nyaribo told Weekly Citizen that Governor Nyagarama did not consult him when he made the changes as per the tradition and a memorandum of understanding they had signed and, therefore, vowed that he would not recognise the changes and those nominated and appointed to the positions.

Douglas Bosire

“The changes were merely meant to bring on board people who could protect him from the economic and political crimes he has committed after his retirement. But I want to tell him in broad daylight that things are not going be the way he has planned,” he told this writer. Nyaribo was quick to drag the name of a parliamentarian who is his cousin whom he wants to succeed him after his term expires. He said that making the pronouncements during this period when the whole country is under siege from the corona virus pandemic, the governor had something sinister he wanted to hide from the people of Nyamira by covering himself. Speaking to Weekly Citizen, Nyaribo revealed that those he retained in his government cabinet were notoriously corrupt, non performers and above all, all of them had abused their offices raising eye brows over their integrity and suitability to have their tenure extended. Those whose terms were extended includes Douglas Bosire (health), John Omanwa (transport, roads and public works), Bernard Mangaa (public administration and management), Zablon Ochiri (lands, physical planning and urban development ) and Peter Muga, finance and economic planning .

Peris Mongare

Those edged out are Johnson Obike tourism,trade and cooperative development), Peris Mongare (agriculture, livestock and f i s h e r i e s ) Samwel Mokua (environment, water and mining) and Gladys Momanyi ( e d u c a t i o n and vocational training). The new nominee to be vetted by Nyamira county assembly before being appointed are Samson Barongo (education and vocational training), Pauline Oyugi (agriculure, fisheries and livestock), Shem Nyaribari (environment, water, energy and mining), Stella Nyambariga (gender, youths, sports and culture) and Stella Anyega trade, tourism and cooperative development). The deputy governor who hails from North Mugirango protested that the region was given a raw deal so as to portray him as a failure in a bid to complicate his candidature for the seat of the governor in the coming general elections. He argued that Nyagarama has made sure the state of roads and health institutions from his home area are poorly done and given a row deal as part or one way of undermining his credibility and leadership by eventually destined to bring him down politically in favour of his cousin. Investigations carried out by this writer established that all those who axed were those who politically recognised and related well with Nyaribo contrary to the wishes of the exiting governor.

It is also rumoured that they were not giving 10pc bribes from their departments every month to the authorities in appreciation that they had been given jobs, a factor which further complicated the renewal of their contracts. Weekly Citizen has authoritatively established that all those retained are either giving good and huge kickbacks to their boss, related to the boss or his relatives or family members or have fishy financial dealing with the boss or members and relatives of his family. We also established that one of those nominated for the ministerial position is a girlfriend of one of the members of the county public service board and she has been boasting and chest-thumping that just from short listing stage, she was sure that she is going to get the job. The first lady has also relatives who through her influences have managed to reach the stage of vetting as there is a big assurance that their positions are guaranteed.