Kiambu showdown: Waititu vows to open new office as his deputy stays put

Supremacy wars between Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu and his deputy Dr. James Nyoro are bound to escalate in the coming days after Waititu announced that he would be opening a new office on Friday.

This is after the Senate, through Deputy Speaker Prof. Kithure Kindiki, ruled on Wednesday that Waititu and his Samburu counterpart Moses Lenolkulal can continue carrying out their duties as governors only that they cannot access the county offices.

Following the Senate ruling in his favour, Waititu on Thursday took his celebration to the Limuru market where he inspected ongoing construction works.

Waititu hailed the decision of Prof. Kindiki allowing him to run parallel offices.

“From tomorrow I will be in office in Kiambu where you call all come for services as it were before,” said Waititu.

Waititu went ahead to reveal that he will hold his cabinet meeting on Friday, further dismissing changes made by his deputy Dr. James Nyoro.

“Everyone knows that when the governor delegates powers to his duty it is on voluntary basis and is done in writing. There is no where I delegated powers to the deputy governor,” said the Kiambu Governor.

Amid cheers from the crowd that accompanied him through the market tour, Waititu assured his allies fired by Dr. Nyoro that they will get their jobs back.

“From next week, we shall advertise so that we can reconstitute the county public service board and begin recruting personnel including doctors and nurses whom we have a shortage of as well as renew the expired contracts,” added Waititu.

However, the deputy governor who was in a separate event termed the Senate decision as inconsequential, saying he would act as governor until Waititu’s graft case is heard and determined.

The Senate ruling comes in the face of a yet to be determined appeal by Waititu challenging a High Court ruling on his bail terms that barred him from accessing the office.

Another showdown looms in the county assembly next week, with MCAs opposed to Waititu filing an impeachment motion against him and those in his support filing an impeachment motion against Nyoro.

Waititu, his wife Susan Wangari Ndun’gu, and a number of county employees have been charged with various counts of conflict of interest, dealing with suspect property, money laundering and abuse of office.