Be vigilant in oversighting executive, Kibwana says

MCAs have been urged to be passionate in their legally mandated role of oversighting the county development programmes and service delivery without fear or favour to ward off ghost projects.

Renowned legal expert and former Makueni Governor, Kivutha Kibwana, told the ward representatives not to drop the ball in their oversight roles to ensure their voters benefit from development projects and optimum service.

“It is important to be there for the people. Oversight service delivery and development just as the law dictates,” Kibwana said.

“That way you will ensure that there are no ghost projects and development is done in the right way.”

The former governor was speaking at a hotel in Mutomo town in Kitui County, where he facilitated during a two-day training of Kitui MCAs on legislation, oversight and representation that ended on Friday.

The capacity enhancement session, which was held under the aegis of the Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education, was financed by UNDP, The Netherlands Embassy and Amkeni Wakenya NGO.

Kibwana said efficient oversight would endear MCAs to the electorate thus earning a re-election ticket.

He urged them to be honest with voters and hold civic education forums to inform them of their mandate.

Kitui speaker Kevin Katisya said the capacity enhancing sessions for MCAs were critical in enabling prudent service deliver through effective oversight, legislation and representation.

“Let our people know that whenever MCAs are trained, be it locally or abroad, the trainings are meant to give them effective capacity to serve the people better. The bottom line is to ensure effective service delivery,” he said.

The speaker said the MCAs had received from professor Kibwana nuggets of expert wisdom that will make them more efficient in effectively oversighting of county executive without overstepping their mandate.

“It is now clear that carrying out oversight does not result in conflict of interest,” Katisya said.

“In their oversight, MCAs need not overstep their mandate as given to them by the constitution of Kenya 2010 and the various other laws.”

He said the Kitui assembly had taken the challenges thrown to them by Kibwana and to put in place a public participation law, the county assembly will soon come up with such a law.

CHRCE executive director Peter Mutemi said that his organisation would continue to partner with the Kitui Assembly in areas that will enhance services to the people of Kitui.