Sonko’s key cabinet pick declines job, raises issue with leadership style
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has suffered a blow in his bid to constitute a new cabinet after one of the new executives he had appointed declined her nomination.
The new appointee, who was to head a critical department at the county government, has expressed her reservation working with Governor Sonko.
According to reliable sources, the appointee cited a raft of factors that needed to be addressed before thinking of taking up the job offer.
Top on the list was the Governor’s abrasive leadership style citing his impromptu visits, sensationalizing of issues, lack of integrity and lack of respect to professionalism.
The appointee also wanted issues of nepotism at the county government addressed, accountability and transparency in resource allocation and utilization and political commitment be addressed.
Last month, Governor Sonko made a reshuffle in his cabinet retaining only half of his earlier cabinet members while bringing in some new faces.
The reshuffle came after the resignation of Education executive Janet Ouko early in January leaving the Governor with only five County Executive Committee Members (CECM) following the suspension of former Devolution executive Veska Kangogo, former Health executive Hitan Majevdia and the non-renewal of contracts of former Livestock and Agriculture executive Wachira Njunguna and ICT executive Emmah Muthoni last year.
NEW FACES
The new faces, whose names were to be forwarded to the County Assembly for vetting by the Appointments committee, included former United Republican Party (URP) nominated legislator Ms Sanjeev Kaur Sonia Birdi and former Kiambu Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Stella Bosire.
Ms Birdi was nominated for the Environment department while Dr Bosire was nominated for the Health department.
Mr Charles Kerich has been retained in the Lands, Urban Renewal and Planning and Housing docket as the executive, a position that he has been holding since the last reshuffle in July last year.
Mr Kerich has been acting as Health Services executive after the suspension of another acting executive Ms Kangogo in September last year, but now the position will be held by The Health docket was substantively held by Mr Majevdia who was suspended in August last year after being accused of laxity in office.
RESHUFFLE
Roads, Infrastructure and Transport executive Mohamed Dagane has also been retained, Newton Munene, who was formerly heading the Trade docket will now head the ICT, Communication and E-government department taking over from Emmah Muthoni who was relieved off her duties last year.
Environment executive Larry Wambua moves to Water and Agriculture while former Finance and Economic Planning executive Allan Igambi takes over Trade, Tourism and Cooperatives docket.
Mr Igambi’s position will be taken over by former Economic Planning chief officer and acting Finance chief officer Winfred Kathangu.
Another chief officer who has been elevated is former Education chief officer Ms Lucia Mulwa who will now head the Education, Youth, Gender and Sports docket.
Acting County Secretary Pauline Kahiga, who assumed the position after the suspension of Peter Kariuki in September last year, will now be the new Devolution and Public Service Management executive.
She will replace Ms Kangogo who was last in the last in the position before her suspension last year.