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{
    "id": 1310565,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1310565/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 1551,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Jacob Ngwele",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "appointed or does not discharge the functions of chief officer. This evidence has been produced. We submit that that evidence of the appointment has been produced in form of the letter dated 23rd August, 2023. It contains a list of appointments which the Governor made. In that list, you will see the name of Kenneth Riungu being appointed as a chief officer. Meru County Assembly has never vetted this individual and he still discharges the functions of a chief officer in Meru County. This is a violation of Section 45 of the County Governments Act. Mr. Speaker Sir, the other appointment was that of the acting chief officers. The same letter contains the names of several chief officers who were appointed. That is Edwin Mutuma Murangiri and Kenneth Gitobu Nkatha. They were appointed as acting chief officers, without the requisite competitive recruitment and recommendations by CPSB. The CPSB has produced evidence in form of a memorandum, warning the chief officers against making acting appointments without the authority of CPSB. In the same memorandum, CPSB says that any appointments made without the authority of the CPSB, shall be null and void. The Governor has admitted that these individuals were directors. We found them there as directors and she appointed them as acting chief officers. In my brief history in life, I have never seen a director being appointed a Principal Secretary (PS). In case there is a vacancy in the office of a PS, one of the PSs doubles in that particular officer. This is because the appointment for that particular office is special and specific. You cannot plug in an individual from the ground and make them an acting chief officer. This is a demonstration that the governor usurped the powers of CPSB and made this illegal and irregular appointments. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there was the issue of appointment of traffic marshals. That violation has been demonstrated. The CPSB are very clear in their letters, that they have not approved such appointment. They have demonstrated the same. However, in the bundle of documents, you can see the same traffic marshals wearing uniforms and riding motorcycles. The Governor posted on WhatsApp that these are going to be her frontline officers to make Meru the next city. Who appointed them? The Governor circumvented the powers and functions of CPSB and by herself, appointed these particular individuals. The other violation was in regard to sending the four CEOs of the parastatals in Meru County. That is Dr. Ntoiti, the CEO of the County Revenue Board, Paul Mwaki – who testified here – the CEO of Liquor Board and Kenneth Kiamathi, the Managing Director. These as CEOs of statutory corporations. They are employees of the Board and not of the Governor. The Governor, through the county secretary, sent them on compulsory leave with pay. It only took the intervention of the court, after one year, and that is when they have resumed their duties. The boards are the ones that recruit. They are the ones with statutory powers to suspend or exercise disciplinary control over their CEOs. It is not the Governor crossing over. I have never seen in this country the CEO of a parastatal being sent home by State House, when there is a dully constituted board. Maybe this one is new.We submit that this"
}