Deputies decry spats with governors

Deputy governors have raised concern over poor working relationships with governors, claiming the situation is worsening and turning violent in some counties.

Speaking in Isiolo where they met to deliberate on issues affecting county governments, the 47 deputy governors condemned violent activities that Kenyans have witnessed in the recent past, pitting deputies against governors.

The chairperson of the Deputy Governors’ Forum — who is also Narok Deputy Governor — Ms Evalyn Chepkirui Aruasa, said the violent activities are threatening to derail devolution.

She said deputy governors have formed a mediation team to ensure governors and their deputies in various counties co-exist harmoniously and work together to make devolution a success.

Ms Aruasa appealed to governors to resolve issues in counties amicably in consultation with their deputies.

“We don’t want a scenario whereby Kenyans witness violent activities against deputy governors,” she said.

The Kisii deputy governor, who is also the forum secretary, Mr Joash Maangi, said they had agreed on the need to support the President’s stand on the fight against terrorism as insecurity affected all Kenyans.

Mr Maangi said county governments should be given a substantive role in security matters.

He said governors and their deputies play a crucial role in ensuring security prevails among communities within the counties.

Mr Maangi added that it was important to devolve education infrastructure, adding that even though education is a national function, county governments are usually called upon to assist whenever classrooms are destroyed by natural forces such as wind. “Schools are community-based,” he said.

EDUCATION POLICIES

The deputy governors agreed that the onus of making education policies should remain with the national government, but education infrastructure should be devolved to county governments.

A nagging fear that deputy governors could upstage their bosses in the next General Election is the main reason for frosty relations between the two leaders in many counties, investigations show.

Deputy governors say because of this, they are victims of a policy of frustration aimed at making them appear as rabble-rousers and stumbling blocks to devolution. 

Ms Aruasa says many county chiefs have deliberately embarked on a mission “to cut their deputies” to size, owing to the threat they pose to them should they throw their hats in the ring come 2017.

“Some have privately expressed fear that giving their deputies a free hand in running county affairs could endear them to voters. In the affected counties, governors see their deputies as competition and have made all manner of efforts to keep them from the limelight,” she told Sunday Nation in an interview last December.

The quandary a deputy governor finds himself in is aptly described by a Nigerian newspaper, The Nation: “The position confers honour and prestige on the occupant. But the number two post has also been described as an incurable frustration, judging by the power relations between deputies and governors.”

Although they are nominal second-in-command, they are in some cases viewed as spare tyres. They function according to the whims of their bosses.
Deputy governors were instrumental in delivering victory to county bosses as, in most cases, they represented key constituencies or ethnic blocs that attracted votes for the joint ticket.