Kitui Governor Julius Malombe has unveiled his County Executive Committee that brings together diverse competencies and a mix of youthful and seasoned professionals.
Dr Malombe, who served as pioneer Governor from 2013 to 2017, retained two ministers who served in his first administration among the ten nominees, while tapping new faces to drive his vision for the county.
Mrs Ruth Koki Mwanzia who served as Health executive previously was appointed to the same docket while Peter Nkunda formerly of Tourism was given Water and irrigation ministry.
Also recalled by Dr Malombe was Fredrick Kasong’e Kimanga, a deputy county commissioner currently stationed in Mukurweini in Nyeri County who previously served as his deputy County Secretary. Mr Kimanga was appointed to the Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
The Governor appointed his key ally and former County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Kilonzo to the Finance and Economic Planning docket. Mr Kilonzo was until August elections the MCA for Athi ward in Kitui South.
A former director for Multilateral Environment Agreements at the Ministry of Environment headquarters in Nairobi John Richard Mwendandu was appointed to the County Environment docket.
Mr Mwendandu who retired from ministry last year was instrumental in the drafting of key government policies on environment including the countrywide ban on plastics and the climate change Act.
Governor Malombe picked Reuben Mulwa Itiko, a former roads engineer with the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) to the Roads, Public works and Transport docket while Rose Mawia Mutuku an accomplished business lady who deals with grain bulk handling was given the Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
Others appointed are Phoebe Ndunyu Mutemi Culture, Youth and Sports, Stephen Mbaya Kimwele Agriculture and Livestock and Joyce Kasyoka Masila Education Training and Schools Development.
Governor Malombe said all the nominees have the requisite university academic qualifications as required by law and therefore deemed competent for their respective jobs.
“In the ten member cabinet which includes four women, each of Kitui County’s eight constituencies got one nominee each, except Kitui east and Kitui south which got two ministers” he said.
He explained the two constituencies got extra nominee as compensation for missing out in the top six county seats of Governor, deputy Governor, Senator, Women representative, County Assembly speaker and Deputy Speaker.
There were concerns over the Governor’s delay in naming his cabinet with Minority Leader Alex Nganga cautioning against breaching the law.
Section 42 of County Governments Act provides that the constitution of new executive committees shall be finalised within 21 days after the swearing in of members of County assembly. The MCAs were sworn in on September 21.
However, the Governor explained that he was obligated to respect existing employment contracts for the outgoing CECs as well as the need to ensure key county work continues uninterrupted.
‘’I couldn’t terminate contracts of current CECs prematurely and I had to ensure there’s no vacuum at cabinet level because certain tasks like supplementary budget and expediting county planning process required their approvals’’ said Dr Malombe. BY DAILY NATION