NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 6 – Siaya Governor, James Orengo’s nominees to the cabinet were today rejected by the county assembly which accused him of failure to adhere to the county assembly approvals act.
The county assembly select committee on appointments, chaired by Speaker George Okode cited the governor of re-appointing people who had earlier been rejected by the assembly despite the law barring such.
“Section 10 of the County Assembly approvals Act 2017 provides that ‘where nomination of a candidate is rejected by the county assembly, the appointing authority shall submit to the county assembly the name of another candidate and the procedure for approval specified in this Act shall apply accordingly’, said Okode.
Okode told the nominees, George Odhiambo Nying’iro who was nominated to head finance and economic planning and Grace Agola (Education, youth affairs, gender and social services) that since they were rejected earlier, it was wrong for the governor to re-submit their names again.
“Section two of the act says that the nominating authority shall not re-submit the name of a candidate whose nomination has been rejected by the county assembly unless the circumstances for the rejection of the appointments of the candidate did not exist or ceased to exist at the time of the rejection of the nomination of the candidate” said Okode adding that this does not apply to the two candidates.
He told the candidates that it was not their fault but that of the governor who ought to have ensured that his nominees met the provisions of the law.
“During this nomination, the appointing authority did not provide information that fulfils the requirement spelt out under that provision” said the speaker.
Asked whether he had anything to tell the Committee, the CECM Nominee for Finance, George Nying’iro said he had none and picked his folder and left the interview room.
The nominee for Education, Grace Agola however put up a spirited fight, saying that he had been informed that the reason for her earlier rejection was lack of proof that she had experience as a teacher.
Agola said that some of her certificates got burnt during an inferno but had contacted the teachers service commission for replacement.
“I am ready to go to Migori teachers Training College where I trained, to get copies if allowed” she said.
Earlier, the committee interviewed Dorothy Ruth Ayoma Owiro for the position of a member of the Siaya County Service Board.
The committee is expected to give its report to the assembly.
