Economy

Executives win the first round in race for top county jobs

ballot

Voter casting ballot during the TNA'S primaries at Kayole primary on January 18 , 2013. Photo/JENNIFER MUIRURI

Technocrats, businessmen and former administrators could emerge as key drivers of county economies as politicians looked more inclined to go for legislative jobs in the National Assembly.

The candidates will be fighting for the 47 governorships in March and are critical in managing the Sh198.6 billion to be allocated to devolved units in the next financial year under the resource-sharing formula adopted by the Treasury.

Most important among counties is Nairobi where some Sh15.2 billion is available for the county which accounts for about half the national output (GDP).

At the seat of the national government and the commercial hub of East Africa, the battle will be between Evans Kidero and politician-cum-civic authority man, Ferdinand Waititu.

Dr Kidero is a former GSK manager and Nation Newspapers Division managing director. Before joining politics his most recent assignment was as managing director of Mumias Sugar Company.

The Cord Alliance pointman is expected to campaign on the same platform as TNA aspirant Jimnah Mbaru did — the economy and business — but should expect a tough battle from Mr Waititu whose message resonates with voters in low-income areas of the city.

Nairobi’s population is overwhelmingly under 40 and dominated by slums where 85 out of every 1,000 newborns die before the age of five.

“It is very encouraging that we are seeing technocrats and administrators showing interest as the governorship is basically an administrative job,” said economic commentator Robert Shaw Monday. “Such people in the past shied away from political decisions under the old system.”

He singled out James Nyoro, the man going for the Kiambu seat on a Narc ticket as “heavyweight” with a rich background in agricultural research.

Mr Nyoro, a former Rockefeller Foundation Africa managing director and Tegemeo think-tank executive director, was identified by the Kiambu County Forum and will be facing off with controversial politician William Kabogo, the former Juja MP who is running on a TNA ticket.

In Mombasa County, the second richest after Nairobi, technocrats will be battling it out with an array of politicians.

One of them is TNA’s Abdalla Mwaruwa, the former managing director of the Coast region’s most important installation, the Mombasa Port. Another former port boss, Simeon Mkalla, will be battling for the Kwale seat on a UDF ticket.

In neighbouring Kilifi, Jubilee’s Francis Baya, a former provincial administrator, will be trying his luck against youthful Fisheries minister Amason Kingi who is vying on a Cord ticket.

In Taita, John Mruttu, until recently the general manager of the Kenya Petroleum Refineries in Mombasa, will be gunning for the governor’s seat on an ODM ticket. He will be battling against Wisdom Mwamburi, a former town clerk.

James Ongwae, who has served in various capacities including that of chief government analyst at the Office of the President and permanent secretary and director of Personnel Management will be going for the Kisii governor’s seat on an ODM ticket.

He will be competing against Peter Ndemo of Ford People, a doctor of philosophy from the University of Washington International who served as a commissioner with the Public Service Commission and a director of Shipping and Maritime Affairs in the Ministry of Transport and Communication.

According to the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (Kippra) economist Joseph Kieyah, the getting the right people to run the counties is crucial as they will be the anchors in economic growth and poverty reduction.

He said that during the making of the Constitution, there were two competing schools of thought: One pushing for the total autonomy of the devolved units and the other for a county system.

The latter won with the drafters agreeing that it was close enough to the people.

“The jury is still out there because we are yet to go to the March elections but I think we are making good headway. We need technocrats who are qualified to manage the natural resources,” he said.

Prof Kieyah nevertheless feared that counties might not have enough human resource to manage affairs at the local level.

Politicians contesting for governorships in central Kenya will find themselves in a minority.

In Murang’a, former New KCC boss and manager of East African Breweries Francis Mwangi will be carrying the TNA mantle.

In the neighbouring Nyeri, Wahome Gakuru, a former university don who has served as a director of Vision 2030, Equity Bank and the National Aids Control Council, will be seeking the governorship.

In Nyandarua, Daniel Waithaka the proprietor of Elite Schools also won the TNA ticket. The final choice will be more important though.

“Counties that will do well will be those that have elected proper governors.  However, the key issue in many counties is going to be the lack of infrastructure. 

"A successful county is going to be one that is going to develop infrastructure and this can be done through effective Private/Public Partnership,” said Nikhil Hira, a partner at consultancy Deloitte.

In Meru, former National Bank CEO Reuben Marambii will be trying to take the seat through UDF which is also being contested by TNA’s Kilemi Mwiria, an assistant minister for education.

Neighbouring Embu has also attracted technocrats: TNA’s Nyaga Wambora, a former Kenya Airports Authority chairman and Office of the President undersecretary will be running against Kithinji Kiragu, formerly the public sector partner at Pricewaterhouse, a consultancy.

The Alliance Party of Kenya candidate is also the proprietor of Embu College. Mr Wambora is the proprietor of Embu Country Hotel.

In Bungoma, a former Livestock PS and a long-time district commissioner Kenneth Lusaka, will be battling it out against four other people.

Paul Olando, the former PC will run on a UDF ticket in neigbouring Kakamega.

Cyprian Awiti, the country director of Marie Stopes, a reproductive health services provider, was also reported to have won the Homa Bay ODM ticket while Jack Ranguma, a former Kenya Revenue Authority commissioner of Domestic taxes was said to have clinched the Kisumu County ODM ticket.

In Baringo, former Higher Education Loans Board boss Ben Cheboi will battle with a Kanu candidate.

Mr Shaw however pointed that whatever skills the new managers have, they are likely to grapple with resource constraints after the Treasury declined to offer the funds asked for by the Commission on Revenue Allocation.

“They are likely to get into a crisis given the number of functions they are supposed to perform,” he said.

Former AP commandant Kinuthia Mbugua will fly the TNA flag in Nakuru while Kennedy Butiko, a former Bank of Africa treasury manager, is representing ODM in Vihiga.

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