Photo:Standard
Three members of the clergy told the commission of inquiry into the possible dissolution of Makueni County that their efforts to reconcile Governor Kivutha Kibwana and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) hit a snag after the executive arm declined to honor reconciliation talk invites.
Makueni Parish Father- in- Charge Paul Munguti, Reverend Joseph Mutunga of the Africa Inland Church and Reverend Joseph Kanuku of Anglican Church on Wednesday told the Mohammed Nyaoga – led commission that the church twice initiated talks to broker a truce between the warring factions but Governor Kivutha failed to turn up.
Reverend Kanuku said that during the wrangling, the clergy had agreed with the governor on a prayer meeting at the Multipurpose Hall in Wote town but the governor cancelled the meeting the last minute citing other engagements.
“The meeting aborted after the governor said he had other office engagements and when the MCAs learnt that the governor was not coming they also did not show up,” said Kanuku.
The reverend said when he called Kivutha to reschedule the meeting, the governor promised to call back but he (Kivutha) never did.
Kanuku further told the commission sitting at Wote the governor also failed to attend a peace meeting organized by the clergy, local professionals and the Kamba Council Elders at Maanzoni Lodge.
“The MCAs attended the meeting but the executive never did,”said Kanuku.
He added that corruption and nepotism were the main problems facing the county government and accused the county leaders of seeking the services of a witch doctor.
Meanwhile a witness earlier told the commission that there was no need to dissolve the county government and instead rooted for reconciliation.
Peter Mwanthi, a resident accused the governor of engineering the petition and launching it in a rally at Unoa grounds.
The witness told the commission that the county government ferried residents from different parts of the county to attend the launch of the signature collection dubbed ‘Okoa Makueni’ on October 4, last year.
More than 50,000 residents from Makueni county last year filed a petition seeking President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve the county owing to the incessant wrangles between the two arms of government.
The president then appointed a six member inquiry team tasked to investigate the allegations leveled against the county government by the residents.
The probe team that commenced sittings in Nairobi has now entered its second week in Makueni,Wote and Chairman Lawyer Nyaoga has promised that the team will expedite the process.
