Tuesday, November 10, 2020 – Governors were yesterday engaged in a heated exchange during a closed-door meeting in Naivasha, ahead of a meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who was the head of the conference, confirmed that the exchange was heated forcing him to intervene numerous times.
The county bosses had met at Enashipai Resort in Naivasha to discuss the Building Bridges Initiative before meeting with the Head of State on Tuesday.
“Things are hot inside there but I cannot talk now because I don’t want to pre-empt.”
“We will give you our resolution,” stated Oparanya, who is also the chair of the Council of Governors.
Factions differed on several proposals including a requirement that governor’s pick deputies from opposite genders as well as appoint ministers from elected Members of the County Assembly.
Three governors, Governors Okoth Obado (Migori), Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru) and Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi), opposed the opposite gender rule for county bosses arguing that the exercise would impede democracy.
Obado even alluded that it would amount to political suicide.
“Even in a mature democracy like in the US, the candidates make their decision on who should be their running mate,” stated Obado.
“If it is after the elections then it is okay, but as a running mate it doesn’t sit well with us,” argued Njuki.
Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, on the other hand, praised the proposal dismissing her male counterparts’ notion that there are few female politicians in the ring.
“What they claim here is that it is very difficult to get the opposite gender because they do not have strong women on the ground as there are men.”
“It would be very good because we would be building capacity for women.”
“They also start to learn how to run for office and that is the argument we are putting here,” she stated.
Some of the BBI proposals had raised eyebrows among different sects of the political arena with those allied to Deputy President William Ruto claiming that the document needs to be amended.
E! News Blog
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