The Mombasa Governor, Hassan Joho on Friday announced his partial cabinet where four County Executive Committee Members (CECs) retained their jobs.
The County has gone without a cabinet for the last two months following the expiry of a two year contract of 10 executive committee members on November 12, 2019.
The CECs were asked to hand over their offices to their respective chief officers who were to take charge of the departments until the announcement of the new cabinet.
Those whose contracts were renewed are Mariam Mbaruk (Finance and Planning), Geoffrey Nyongesa (Environment, Waste Management and Energy), Hazel Koitaba (Health) and Taufiq Balala (Water, Sanitation and Natural Resources).
Besides Balala who has been transferred from his former docket of Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, all the other three county executives retained their former departments.
Those left out during the Friday’s announcement are Fawz Rashid Ali (Trade, Tourism and Investments), Hassan Mwamtoa (Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Cooperatives), Seth Odongo (Devolution and Public Service Administration), Kevin Munywoki Kyallo (Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture), Edward Dzilla Nyale (Lands Planning and Housing) and Fatma Awale (Water, Sanitation and Natural Resources).
According to the statement from the County Director of Communication, Richard Chacha, the other six appointments will take place in due course.
Chacha said “in pursuant of section 35 (1) of the County Government Act 2012, Governor Joho has renewed contracts of four executive committee members.”
Joho who is serving his second and last term was accused of delaying to announce his cabinet resulting to a lobby group threatening to take legal action.
On Monday this week, the Commission for Human Rights and Justice (CHRJ) wrote to Joho and gave him 14 days to appoint a new cabinet or face legal suit.
“We petition your office to appoint county executives pursuant to Article 47 which grants to fair and expeditious administrative action,” said CHRJ Executive Director, Julius Ogogoh.
Ogogoh said the delay to announce the cabinet was a breach of County Government Act and also denying the residents the right to get services arising from the appointments.
Any new appointment in the cabinet will have to be vetted by the county assembly.
While Mombasa residents were anxiously waiting for the new cabinet, sources within the county government disclosed that intensive lobbying was taking place for the top jobs.
By Mohamed Hassan
