In Kenya six members of Kericho County Executives Committee (CEC) has been sacked in one of the biggest shake-ups of Eric Mutai two-year tenure under the leadership of President William Ruto.
The move is seen has Mutai’s attempt to win public confidence after narrowly surviving an impeachment process. Only three of County Executive Committee members were retained.
Mutai announced the termination of the contracts of the six loyalists in a bid to turn around the fortunes of his administration and its acceptance by residents.
Mutai stated that “Pursuant to paragraph 23 of the Terms and Service of the County Executive together with section 40 (1) of the County Government Act No 17 of 2012, I have given notice of termination of contract to the following county Executive Committee members”.
They are Dr John Kipruto Malel (ICT, e-Government, Youth and Sports), Ms Rosemary Rop (Water, Environment, Energy, Forestry and Natural Resources), Ms Edna Tanui (Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives), Mr Leonard Ngetich (Trade, Industrialisation, Tourism and Wildlife), Mr Bernard Bii (Public Works, Roads and Transport) and Mr Brian Langat (Lands, Housing and Physical Planning).
Malel stands out as the executive with the shortest tenure of just six months following his appointment to Cabinet, a position he has now lost following the changes affected by Dr Mutai.
The Cabinet changes come barely a week after Mutai reconciled with members of the County Assembly at a retreat held at Sawela Lodge in Naivasha, Nakuru County, where the sacked CECs were joined by heads of their respective departments.
At the three-day retreat, the MCAs categorically stated that most of the executives had failed in their assignments and should be replaced as a matter of priority for the smooth running and implementation of development programmes in the county.
The County Assembly, which is in recess, is expected to vet the nominees in January 2025 to pave the way for their appointment to the now vacant Cabinet positions as required by law and the 2010 Constitution.
Members of the County Assembly have repeatedly called for the removal of some of the executives from office for alleged incompetence and flouting of the law while serving in their dockets.
A number of them have also been accused of failing to honour summons to appear before the Assembly to answer questions raised by legislators and members of the public on the running of their various dockets.
