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Citizen Weekly

Sunday 1 February 2015

Politicians move to reconcile warring Trans Nzoia assembly factions

Leaders in Trans Nzoia county led by Eugene Wamalwa, Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa, Saboti MP David Wafula, Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi and Church leaders have initiated a move to reunite warring factions in Trans Nzioa assembly.
Already, six members of county assembly  were summoned and appeared before court over malicious damage of property during the speakers impeachment last year.
They are accused of breaking the door, taking the mace  that paralysed the county operations for almost  three months. Now, a plot to have the matter  solved outside the court is on. Then, speakers David Sifuna was impeached but reinstated fully by court last year.
Speaking in the speaker’s office, Eugene urged Sifuna to withdraw all cases which are still in the court for the sake of peace and development as MCAs urged the leaders to intervene.
Wamalwa said other county assemblies like Nyandarua are ahead in passing bills to help their county move ahead compared to Trans Nzoia where MCAs have lost focus  as they concentrate on petty and tribal politics. He said the county is behind compared to other neighbouring counties like West Pokot and Bungoma.
He said there is no way Governor Patrick Khaemba will perform without MCAs passing motions into laws.  Wamalwa reminded MCAs and the governor that they have remained only with one year constitutionally to perform while they have done little to the people who voted them into power.
It is said deputy speaker who is also MCA for Saboti David Kapolomani called one of the accused on grounds they had been summoned with five others to appear before court over malicious damage of property.
Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa told MCAs not to forget those who voted them are watching their services. Chris challenged MCAs to carry their oversight task and ensure county executives are accountable in their respective dockets. He discouraged them from tribal politics saying that Trans Nzoia is a cosmopolitan county with 42 tribes. He warned county executive from playing politics instead of working.
 Quoting Isaiah 1:18, he said: “Come let’s discuss this even if your sins are as dark as red dye, that stain can be removed and you will be as pure as wool that is as white as snow”. Chris asked MCAs to stick on the reconciliation dialogue that has brought them together. He said what the six MCAs were about to go through in court is painful and it is what their speaker went  through when they impeachment him last year.
He asked Khaemba to wake up and fulfill the promises he made to the people saying that he has only one year to deliver and not to spare those executives who are dragging him behind.
Chris’ statement was echoed  by Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi who said Trans Nzoia is behind asking the county government to put strategy and install street lights in the town and not solar lights that dim some times at night leaving people in town in darkness. He said only unity will make the county to move ahead in terms of development. He asked all Trans Nzoia leaders to unite not only when it comes at the time of sorrow like the one faced at the county assembly. Saboti MP David Wafula said divisive politics is the one contributing to separation of county assembly members. Wafula appreciated Speaker  Sifuna had to agreed toe withdraw the cases that were against six MCAs in the court .
Wafula said Trans Nzoia county is not ready to go the Makueni way and challenged  MCAs  to move first in passing important bills in to laws that will help people in the county saying that the county government cannot operate without the unity of county assembly.
Wafula said last year farmers counted huge loss selling their farm produce to middlemen due to lack of proper law which MCAs failed to present in the assembly ato protect farmers .
He asked MCAs and speaker to have one voice and work hard to recover what they lost last year. Wafula appreciated the step that MCAs took to seek reconciliation saying 2015 should be the year for them to work with unity and not compete as to who is powerful.
He asked the county government in conjunction with county commissioner to investigate the information that has been circulating in media that Ugandans are being brought  to register as voters in the county as one of the schemes ahead of 2017.
 On the other hand Sifuna accepted to forgive all MCAs who were against him and the six who broke his office and caused malicious damage of property promising  to work and recover time they had wasted while cases were in court. Among the cases agreed to be withdrawn from the court as reconciliation process i that of breaking the speaker’s door and causing malicious damage of property.
 MCAs allied to the speaker said they will accept the withdrawal of cases with written conditions that they should abide to. The reconciliation meeting was attended by church leaders.
Separately in Cherangany governor Patrick Khaemba defended himself from the allegation from some leaders that the county is lagging behind saying he has done much.

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