Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani has asked the County Assembly to approve her County Executive Committee (CEC) nominees.
Governor Achani says she submitted the names of her 10-member County Cabinet and County Secretary to the local assembly on October 27, 2022 for approval but expressed worries that the process was going on ‘at a snail’s pace’.
She says the situation has forced her to work with acting CECs almost five months after taking over as county boss.
Achani was a long serving Deputy to former two-term Governor Salim Mvurya who is now the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs.
Achani triumphed over a male-dominated gubernatorial race in the August 9, 2022 general polls to clinch the county’s top job making her the first woman to be elected governor in the coastal region.
“I don’t have substantive county ministers because the local County Assembly is taking its sweet time over the approval process,” said the UDA Governor.
She said her nominees have the requisite qualifications and experience to serve in their respective positions and wondered why the regional assembly was dilly dallying about it, blaming it on local politics.
“Let them be approved to serve the people of Kwale who are yearning for service provision in all spheres,” she said and cautioned Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) against playing petty politics.
Achani was speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Sh1.2 billion regional maritime institute at Chitsakamatsa area of Matuga Sub County launched by Mvurya.
She asked the County Assembly under the stewardship of speaker Seth Kamanza to fast track the vetting and approval process of her preferred nominees to ensure that services at the coastal county are not crippled.
Achani said there are sections of local leaders and residents who have not come to terms with the reality that she is the county boss simply because they did not believe a woman can be elected a governor.
“There are cliques of local politicians who are still smarting from the loss in the August 9 2022 general elections and are determined to sabotage my administration just because I am a female governor,” she said.
Achani has charged Kwale residents and leaders to rise above parochial considerations and work together for the progress of the county.
She stated that at this particular time when the county is being challenged economically, socially, politically and security wise, all that was required was for the people to demonstrate patriotism to salvage it.
Her sentiments were echoed by Kwale Senator Issa Boy (ODM) and Matuga MP Kassim Tandaza (ANC) who said they are now ready to work with Governor Achani for the sake of development and common welfare of the area residents.
Senator Boy who was a long standing political nemesis of the Governor Achani has called on local leaders and residents to work with the current county administration to fix the coastal county for the current and next generations.
“We must as leaders unite and work, roll up our sleeves and contribute to fix our county for the current and future generations,” he said, adding that otherwise history will judge the current crop of leadership harshly.
He went on, “What you see here reflects the wishes of the people of Kwale who have elected their leaders in different political parties and that we should work together regardless of our political affiliations”.
MP Tandaza said Governor Achani has achieved great things since assuming office and called on residents to forget petty politics for the common good.
On his part, CS Mvurya asked residents to take the cue from their elected leaders and appreciate the need to work together for the unity and progress of the county.
The CEC nominees are Francis Gwama (Health Services), Hemed Mwabudzo (Water Services), Bakari Sebe (Finance and Economic Planning), Saumu Beja (Environment and Natural Resources) and Tamasha Nyawa (Public Service and Administration).
Others are Ali Mondo (Tourism, Trade and Enterprise Development), Francisca Kilonzo (Social Services and Talent Management), Joto Mwachirumbi (Roads and Public Works), Mishi Mwakaole (Education Services), Roman Shera (Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries) and Sylvia Chidodo (County Secretary).
