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{
    "id": 1553387,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1553387/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 374,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mandago",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13577,
        "legal_name": "Kiplagat Jackson Mandago",
        "slug": "kiplagat-jackson-mandago"
    },
    "content": "What we are witnessing in some counties is an issue of people failing to perform duties of that office and trying to compete for one office. As I said earlier, due to the nature of our politics, as a country, sometimes it takes the effort of two to win an election. However, that does not mean that the two should occupy the same office. I urge deputy governors who are in political partnerships with their governors to win elections, to satisfy themselves with the position of deputy governors and work with their governors. When governors finish their term in office, they can also run for the same seat. We have good examples of deputy governors who worked well with their governors, like the former Deputy Governor of Kwale, who is now the Governor of Kwale County. Her Excellency the Governor of Kwale, Hon. Fatuma Achani, worked with the then Governor, Hon. Salim Mvurya, very well for 10 years, despite the fact that they had a political partnership of working together to win an election. After 10 years, Hon. Achani won elections and became the governor after having been the deputy governor. We encourage deputy governors to work. In the same breath, governors must also respect their deputies. The problem starts especially when governors allow their handlers- -- I would say every politician has their political brokers and handlers. They should make sure that their political handlers and the staff respect deputy governors. When the governor respects the deputy governor, the rest of staff in the county will respect the deputy governor and they will have a functional governor’s office. I know there is a quest for deputy governors to be allocated duties by law. The framers of the Constitution did not envisage a situation where there would be specific duties for a deputy governor. It was envisaged that a deputy governor will assist the governor. In the absence of a governor, they perform duties of a governor. In my view, assigning them duties will limit the performance of the deputy governor in an event where the governor is not present. It is not just when a governor has left office. For example, when they travel out of the country, the deputy governor is supposed to step in. In a situation where a deputy governor has been assigned specific duties, it will be difficult to assign them additional duties of the office of the governor. Governors must respect deputy governors. They must also provide resources to run the office of deputy governors. They should not play games in terms of releasing resources to deputy governors because deputy governors also have a constitutional responsibility of assisting governors. If governors allow proper flow of resources to offices of deputy governors and allow them to perform duties of deputy governors, then we shall not witness what we saw in Trans Nzoia County. If you see the staff disrespecting a deputy governor or even having the audacity to comment in public about their deputy governor, that disrespect is not originated by the staff. It is the governor who must have initiated that kind of a talk. I urge governors to respect their deputy governors and ensure that those officers are properly resourced for them to be able to perform their function. I do not agree with the sentiments of my colleague, Sen. Cherarkey, who said deputy governors are supposed to read newspapers in the office. Those are not functions The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}