Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua successfully arranged a crucial deal between Kiambu County Governor Kimani Wamatangi and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) who had been threatening to impeach the governor.
The breakthrough occurred during a day-long meeting held at the Deputy President’s official residence in Karen yesterday.
Gachagua, with support from Kiambu County MPs, played a crucial role in solving the leadership issue.
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During an eight-hour meeting, Governor Wamatangi promised to create a substantial Ksh 600 million Ward Development Fund to meet the county’s development needs.
“I have no problem in establishing the County Ward Development Fund in Kiambu County. We shall enact it immediately, with the County Assembly. We will give the MCAs the latitude to select priority projects. This will be Ksh 10 million per ward, totaling Ksh 600 million out of the Ksh 2.8 billion development budget,” Governor Wamatangi said.
![Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with other Kiambu leaders during a meeting at his Karen residence on November 6, 2023. [PHOTO/ DPCS]](https://news.switchtv.ke/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/unnamed-3.jpg)
Furthermore, the governor assured the MCAs that they would have a say in the implementation of development projects within their respective wards.
“I will also give MCAs latitude to choose projects of priority within their wards. From the kitty, each of the 60 electoral wards will get Ksh 10 million from the development budget,” he added.
The establishment and management of the Ward Development Fund had been a key point of contention for the MCAs, who had also alleged that they were being sidelined in the allocation of bursaries.
The Deputy President intervened in the leadership stalemate after the MCAs had threatened to impeach Governor Wamatangi over various accusations. He emphasized the importance of unity among leaders in order to effectively serve the people of Kiambu County.
“It does not look good for our backyard when leaders are fighting and we are saying that we are uniting the country. We campaigned together as one cohesive team. I don’t know what has happened in one year that there are squabbles and exchange of words between leaders. We are together by a desire to work for the people. The people who voted for you are the same ones that voted for us,” Deputy President Gachagua urged.
He also highlighted that Kiambu County had not fully benefited from the devolved system of governance due to leadership squabbles between successive governors and MCAs.
To remedy this, he revealed that the national government would collaborate with both the governor and the MCAs on various projects, including the construction of modern trading markets.
In a move welcomed by the MCAs, Governor Wamatangi announced that bursaries would now be disbursed at the ward level, with MCAs having a say in identifying beneficiaries and overseeing the allocation process.
To address structural and administrative issues raised by the MCAs, a three-day meeting between the MCAs and the governor is scheduled to be held from November 23, 2023, to address the outstanding concerns. A report will be submitted to the Deputy President following the meeting.
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Separate discussions will also take place between the Governor and the National Government to work on the implementation of joint projects, especially in the construction of markets and affordable housing.
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi can now breathe a sigh of relief, as Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s intervention has brought about a harmonious resolution, sparing the county the turmoil of an impeachment process.
