Busia Governor Otuoma suspends all top county officials

By Jane Cherotich

Busia County Governor Paul Otuoma has sent all chief executive committee members, chief officers and the county Secretary, Nicodemus Mulaku on compulsory leave.

The officers were ordered to hand over their respective offices to departmental directors as the governor kicks off the exercise of restructuring the county government.

“I want to announce here today that I am sending the County Secretary who is also the chair of the Assumption of the Office of the Governor on compulsory leave,” Otuoma said at a press briefing at Busia ATC grounds.

“All CeC members and all chief officers are also hereby sent on compulsory leave with immediate effect.”

He added: “You are aware that I had communicated to you about the Rapid Response Initiative (RRI) for the next 100 days and I promised the people of Busia improved service delivery. This arrangement is made to facilitate that exercise.”

The governor who was flanked by his deputy Arthur Odera, County Public Service Board Chair Assumpta Obore and the Director Governance and Special Programs Timothy Odende revealed that the RRI task force will constitute his deputy Arthur Odera who will chair the Finance, Economic, Planning and ICT sub-committee.

Also in the task force, will be former Butula MP Michael Onyura who will chair the Public Service Management, Governance, Legal and Administrations sub-committee while Dr Olango Onudi will chair the Health, Education, Infrastructure and Social sub-committee.

Patrick Sanya Odame, the governor announced, will chair the Agriculture, Water, Trade and Lands sub-committee while Odende will be the Secretary to the team.

He said the names of the other committee members of the task force and subcommittee members will be communicated in due course.

“I have also directed that the functions of Busia Municipality that had been domiciled in the department of Lands Housing and Urban Development be transferred to the board immediately for proper operationalisation as prescribed in the law,” Otuoma said.

He emphasised that the move targets to ensure his administration delivers on his mandate as promised during campaigns.

“We expect these committees to deliver on the tasks that we have put ahead within the 100-RRI days and during that time, we will be having a review after every 25 days.

The governor made the announcement two days after he told county employees to prioritise efficient service delivery as he begins to constitute an administration that will steer operations for the next five years.

On Tuesday after a meeting he convened with Odera in Busia and attended by chief executive committee members, chief officers and departmental directors, Otuoma said lazy workers will have no space in his government.

“Civil servants must be orientated for them to know that the government of the day does not condone certain behaviours,” Otuoma said.

“For those who have been doing things in a certain way, they must now know that there must be a shift in our mindset in the way we do things to align them with the new government that is coming into place failure to which there will be consequences.”

“We are putting a lot of emphasis on service delivery, efficient use of county resources and looking for new avenues that can generate revenue so that we give the people of Busia services.”