The Kirinyaga County Assembly Committee on Appointments has finalized the vetting of nominees to the position of County Executive Committee Members following their appointments by Governor Anne Waiguru.
Some of those vetted served the county under similar positions during the first term of Governor Waiguru with Jackline Njogu who held the Agricultural docket was moved to the Finance and Economic Planning portfolio which was previously held by Moses Migwi.
Migwi resigned from the position to vie for the Kanyakini Ward as its MCA of which he was successful.
Revered Murimi Kanjobe who held the influential Lands, Physical Planning Housing docket during the first term has been reappointed to the same position and appropriately vetted.
James Mutugi who held the Education and Public Service portfolio which includes ECD and Youth Polytechnics was also nominated for a second term and vetted alongside his colleagues.
He previously served among the pioneer MCAs in the county representing Wamumu Ward.
Also nominated back to his previous docket for Sport, Culture and Social Services was Denis Gicobi Muciimi.
The nominee was however taken to task by the vetting Committee for failing to actualize the stalled Thanju Talent Academy which the pioneer governor Joseph Ndathi had constructed up to 60 per cent with Sh 40 million having been spent on the project.
The County Public Health Chief Officer Dr George Karoki has been nominated and vetted as the CECM Medical Services, Public Health and Sanitation in place of Dr Gladys Kimingi whom the governor dropped in her list.
Another Chief Officer for Transport and Public Works Jared Migwi has been equally nominated as the new CECM for the docket.
The docket was left vacant in 2018 after one Karugumi was fired by the County Administration.
Millicent Nyawira Ngari is perhaps the luckiest county employee having been nominated for the position of CECM Gender and Youth.
Upon quitting her teaching career in 2017 after being one of Waiguru’s ardent supporters and campaigners she was appointed the political adviser but later redeployed to head the Gender docket.
The Assembly Speaker Muteti Murimi led committee has spent two days conducting the vetting while its findings on the suitability to appoint the nominees to their respective positions will be known in 10 days from now.
During the exercise Dr. John Gachara was vetted for the CECM position at the Agriculture, Livestock, Veterinary and Fisheries.
Calbert Munene Njeru, a County employee is now set to head the Cooperative Development, Trade, Marketing, Tourism, Industrialization and Enterprises Development.
Veronica Wangari Waweru will be replacing Dr Jackan Gutu who has been dropped by the governor in the Environment, water and Natural Resources docket.
Waiguru is set to name her Chief Officers and Directors as work on her last term begins.
By Irungu Mwangi
