Kiambu Governor James Nyoro on Thursday shelved the announcement of his deputy as "the county is mourning Kahawa Wendani MCA Cyrus Omondi".
Omondi died in his hotel room in India on Wednesday. The MCA was in the Asian country for a workshop alongside his colleagues in the Education Committee.
Nyoro said residents should ignore rumours on deputy governor and change of cabinet and await communication from his office. "We are now mourning an MCA we all loved."
The social media had claimed that Nyoro would announce his deputy governor yesterday.
One of the social media alerts read: "Kiambu county governor James Karanja Nyoro has appointed Ms Caroline Waithera Ndung'u as his deputy gover."
The internet alert stated that Ndung'u was the marketing and corporate relations director of Absa Bank Plc Kenya. Absa is the new brand name of Barclays Bank.
A governor’s inner circle source who chose anonymity confirmed that Nyoro had his deputy and had planned to announce the name yesterday.
“Yes, it is true that Caroline Waithera has been appointed by the governor to be his deputy and it was to be announced. But it cannot be done at this time when people are mourning their MCA,” the source said.
Pressure has been mounting for Nyoro to consider a woman as his deputy.
Some of the suggested names for DG included Annah Nyokabi, a former Kiambu Woman Representative, who is also President Uhuru Kenyatta's cousin, Joyce Ngugi, who is the chairperson of the National Council of Children Services, and John Mugwe, a former county Roads CEC.
Nyoro took over the governor's job after the impeachment of Ferdinand Waititu last month. He had been the DG.
