Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei commends the High Court’s decision to nullify the appointment of Nandi County’s Executive Committee Members (CECMs).
Cherargei asserts that Governor Stephen Sang’s bypassing of the County Assembly in appointing the CECMs constitutes an impeachable offense.
The recent ruling by the High Court regarding Nandi County’s Executive Committee appointments has garnered significant attention. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, an outspoken critic of Governor Stephen Sang’s administration, has lauded the court’s decision to nullify the appointments.
According to Senator Cherargei, Governor Sang’s unilateral appointment of the CECMs, bypassing the County Assembly’s approval process, is a clear violation of the Public Appointments (County Assemblies Approval) Act No.5 of 2007. Cherargei firmly believes that this act represents an impeachable offense. He stated, “The law is unequivocal about the requirement for County Assembly approval of such appointments, and this crucial step was circumvented in Nandi, with Governor Sang resorting to arm-twisting, intimidation, and blackmail.”
Senator Cherargei, in his call to the Controller of Budget, emphasized the need for prudent financial management within the county. He expressed concerns that, in the absence of a properly constituted executive, there is a risk of financial mismanagement. He went on to lament the stagnation of development in Nandi County, attributing it to misallocation and mismanagement of funds. He accused the county boss of ineffectiveness, saying, “Governor Sang is slowly but surely undermining Nandi County’s development prospects. At present, the county is grappling with impassable roads, shortages of essential medicines in hospitals, a lack of bursaries, and inequitable allocation of development resources.”
The High Court’s ruling cited a lack of representation of the county’s cultural, gender, and ethnic diversity as grounds for nullifying the CECMs’ appointments. Senator Cherargei hailed the court’s decision as a significant victory for the people of Nandi County and stressed the necessity of Governor Sang’s impeachment for constitutional violations.
The court’s order mandates the Nandi Governor to re-advertise all eight CEC positions after a hearing involving a lawsuit filed by Nandi resident Onesmus Kimeli. All eight CECs were named as interested parties in the suit, with Governor Stephen Sang being the first respondent. Governor Sang, who had appointed the CECs in November of the previous year following his re-election, has maintained his stance of not re-advertising the positions, citing that the court’s directive lacks a legal foundation. He stated, “We respectfully disagree with the court’s directive to advertise the CECMs’ positions, as Section 35 of the County Governments Act provides a clear process for their appointment.”