Kakamega
By Wilson Abiri
Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala has said that Governor Wycliffe Oparanya did the right thing to drop his deputy Prof Philip Kutima as the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Agriculture.
“Oparanya erred in law when he appointed Kutima as CECM in charge of Agriculture but when he dropped him it was in order. The other mistake he did was to transfer Rachel Okumu from Health to Agriculture docket instead of sacking her,” said Malala.
Malala said that the dropping of Prof Kutima was long overdue since the law does not allow deputy governors to serve as county ministers.
“Oparanya erred in law when he appointed Kutima as CECM in charge of Agriculture but when he dropped him it was in order. The other mistake he did was to transfer Rachel Okumu from Health to Agriculture docket instead of sacking her,” said Malala.
The senate deputy minority leader also blasted Oparanya for appointing retirees back to the Cabinet instead of considering persons living with disabilities and the youths.
Malala told off Oparanya over the appointment of Phanuel Kulati as county minister for Water, Environment and Natural Resources who served in the previous cabinet during Oparanya’s first term.
Malala told off Oparanya over the appointment of Phanuel Kulati as county minister for Water, Environment and Natural Resources who served in the previous cabinet during Oparanya’s first term.
The senator said he had a discussion with Oparanya and agreed that ones he reshuffles his cabinet in two weeks’ time, he will appoint a youth and a PWD to the cabinet but was shocked to learn that he had not appointed retirees.
Governor Oparanya on Thursday sacked three CEC’s including his deputy, Prof Kutima from the cabinet.
The other two who were axed from the cabinet are Joseph Obonyo (Education) and Barasa Wangwe (Water) but got a lifeline after being appointed as the acting CEO of the Kakamega County Investments and Development Agency and Kakamega County Micro-Finance Corporation respectively.
Collins Matemba is the new Health boss while George Lutomia who has been in charge of ICT and e-Government was transferred to Education. ICT was merged with Finance and Planning, which was handed over to Dr Beatrice Sabana who was in charge of the Public Service and Administration.
Others are Rodah Awinja (Public Service), Geoffrey Omulayi (Roads), Alfred Matianyi (Trade and Industrialization), Kassim Were (Sports and Culture) and Robert Makhanu (Lands).
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