Acting Samburu County Governor Julius Leseeto has defended his decision to reshuffle his cabinet. Mr Leseeto has said that he moved the executives to reorganise the government.
“I have moved the executives depending on their abilities but I have not appointed new ones,” said Mr Leseeto on Tuesday.
He said he does not require the blessings of Governor Samuel Lenolkula who is facing corruption charges to carry out his constitutional mandate.
“The law is very clear that in the absence of the governor, the deputy takes charge of running the affairs of the county and that is simply what I am doing,” he said.
INTERESTED PARTY
At the same time Mr Leseeto announced that a petitioner who has moved to court to block his bid to reshuffle the cabinet is an interested party.
Related Stories
Bid to reshuffle Samburu cabinet backfires
Bid to reshuffle Samburu cabinet backfires
“The petitioner Mr Julius Lalampaa is an interested party as he is doing business with the county and that is why he is pushing to stop the transfers,” said Mr Leseeto.
He added: “This businessman feels his interests will be affected if the cabinet changes are effected.”
The acting governor described Mr Lalampa’s petition as “null and void.”
He added: “He has been doing business with the Samburu County government and should not file petition to block the smooth running of the government that pays him.”
Mr Leseeto defended his action to transfer the executives saying he was guided by the law.
“I am mandated by the law to do any changes at the executive as long as it is not the nomination of new executives,” said the acting governor.
He accused the petitioner of trying to interfere with the smooth running of the county government.
POWERS
“The petitioner is not questioning my powers but he is concerned about the transfer which is not within his powers or constitutional right as a resident of Samburu,” he added.
“If you look at the Constitution section 179 (5) and 259 (3) and section 30 and 32 of the County Government Act, it gives me powers to reorganise the cabinet.”
The acting governor said the petition will not stop him from serving the residents. “I will prove him a busy body at the court, I will reveal why he is out to stop the cabinet reshuffle.”
In a quick rejoinder, Mr Lalampaa admitted that he has been doing business with the county.
“It’s true I am a contractor and I have been doing business with the county and national government. That is my constitutional right and does not stop me from raising a red flag when things are not moving in the right direction,” he said.
PETITION
He said he filed the petition to block the transfer of the executives because of what he described as “confusion in the cabinet.”
“These transfers will bring disharmony in the county and it is not clear whether the acting governor has powers to do the reshuffles and that is why I have sought court interpretation,” said Mr Lalampaa.
He added: “As an elder, I was concerned that the executive had disobeyed the deputy governor and this would disrupt the smooth running of the county,” he added.
The executives affected by the transfer include Mr Vincent Learman, Ms Irene Leluata, Mr Jonathan Leisen, Mr Benedict Lentumunai, Ms Dorcas Lekisanyal, Mr Peter Leshakwet, Mr Stephen Lekupe and Mr Peter Lolmodooni.
Mr Lekupe has been transferred from Health docket to Finance, Economic, Planning and ICT, Mr Leisen from Public Works to Medical Services, Public health and sanitation, while Mr Learaman was transferred from Agriculture to Education Youth and Vocational Training.
Others are Ms Lekisinyal who had been transferred from Finance to replace Ms Lentumunai in the Physical Planning docket.