Governor Granton Samboja initiates signatures collection to petition President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve his county government

Shock after Governor calls for dissolution of his county gov't

Mumbi Mutuko

July 2, 2019 1:05 PM

Governor pleads to have his county government dissolved

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja has signed a petition to dissolve his county government.

Samboja initiated the collection of signatures to petition President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve his county government after a budget deadlock with MCAs.

According to governor Samboja, Taita Taveta MCAs have made it impossible to smoothly run county programmes.

He becomes the second governor after Kivutha Kibwana to make calls for a county government to be dissolved.

Governor Granton Samboja Pulse Live Kenya

Addressing the press on Tuesday, Samboja said he was compelled to make the decision following wrangles over Ksh830 million that MCAs allocated themselves.

County funds wrangles

Last week, the county assembly passed a Ksh5.3 billion budget with each MCA allocating themselves Ksh41.5 million for projects in their wards.

The governor stated that disputes between the executive and the assembly were negatively affecting development in the county.

Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja Pulse Live Kenya

He further pointed out that he will not give in to the demands of the assembly.

"There is no medicine in county health facilities. Water is a challenge to many residents yet they (MCAs) want to allocate themselves huge sums of money," Samboja said.

The Constitution only allows for the suspension of a county government by the President in case of an emergency arising out of internal conflict or war; or in any other exceptional circumstances.

Mumbi Mutuko