Uhuru names Commission of Inquiry for Makueni county row

President Uhuru Kenyatta has nominated lawyer Mohammed Nyaoga to head a commission of inquiry into the dissolution of Makueni County government.

The President also referred to the Senate the names of National Police Service Commission chairman Johnson Kavuludi, Emilly Gatuguta, Prof Harrison Maithya, Alice Wairimu Nderitu and Taib Ali Taib for approval as members of the commission.

Mr Kenyatta separately nominated Mbarak Said Twahir, Kinoti Imanyara, Tache Bonsa Gollo, Beatrice Marembo Adu and Albert Fred Ekirapa to serve as members of the Teachers Service Commission.

The President forwarded the names of the nominees to the National Assembly where Speaker Justin Muturi directed the Education committee to vet the nominees and submit a report before February 25.

The appointment of the commission of inquiry signals the beginning of the end of the nearly two-year-old county government of Makueni headed by Governor Kivutha Kibwana.

President Kenyatta invoked provision of Article 192 of the Constitution as read out with section 122 and section 123 of County Government Act in appointing the commission to inquire into the problems facing the county government.

Section 123(1) of the Acts allows any person to petition the President to suspend a county government if the county government engages in actions that are deemed to be against the common needs and interests of the citizens.

Makueni county residents petitioned President Kenyatta to dissolve the county government which is beset with wrangling between the governor and members of the county assembly.

The President then submitted the petition to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to verify the signatures of the petitioners and ascertain whether they meet the threshold needed to commence the process of dissolving the county.

The IEBC found out that the petitioners met the threshold and returned it to the President advising him to appoint a commission of inquiry to look into the charges.

President Kenyatta wrote to the Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro on February 6 informing him of the nomination of the six commissioners to investigate the veracity of the allegations set out in the petition for the dissolution of the Makueni county government.

“I now direct that the names and curriculum vitae of the six nominees be forwarded to the sessional committee on Devolved Government for vetting,” Ethuro said in communication to Senators.

He directed the committee to file its report within 14 days pursuant to section 123(4) of the County Government Act.