Nyandarua governor defends semi-illiterate MCAs as good for bottom-up governance
Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha at a past event. He has defended semi-illiterate MCAs in the county.
Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha on Monday revealed he inherited Sh500 million in fake pending bills as he also defended some of his semi-illiterate nominated members of the county assembly as good for the bottom-up model of governance.
Speaking on Inooro TV on Monday, Mr Badilisha said that of the Sh1.3 billion in pending bills only Sh800 million appear genuine.
He added that "Nyandarua is a land of bountiful harvests if managed well and for that reason we have brought on board employees who understand the area’s challenges well, including those village girls with difficulties speaking in English".
Mr Badilisha said his predecessor, Mr Francis Kimemia, had no time for the lowly in society.
"We will place Nyandarua where it belongs. As we welcome President William Ruto on Sunday for interdenominational prayers, we have lined up a litany of projects we require his assistance to achieve. We will maximise lobbying for projects," he said.
He added that he is more interested in helping locals engage in productive farming, find markets for them, help them add value to their products and enhance transport infrastructure by making more roads all-weather.
He said the bottom-up model applies in all spheres of life and this is why ordinary villagers will be involved governance in Nyandarua
He was reacting to recent footage that went viral about nominated MCA Milka Muthoni speaking on the floor of the House using broken English.
Bloggers seized
In the video, she is seen struggling to read her typed contribution. Bloggers seized on her awkward moment to make mincemeat of her online.
It was even more difficult when she started making off-the-cuff remarks.
“I say thank you, Mr Speaker Sir, because you protect me in the whole country. I say thanks so much,” she says in the video.
“I thanks the committee of house business to did a good job and also I support the appointment of Emmah Kibiru because she comes from my ward and the people of North Kinangop ward are very humbled because of nominations of Emmah.
“I thanks my area MCA Wambugu King’ori to give Emmah Kibiru blessings. I say thank you so much.”
Mr Badilisha said: "These are our people and we will mould them to be of help to the grassroots and we are now demanding a national policy about Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) to apply uniformly."
He said ECDE has been neglected by counties and the national government "and we are taking charge as the devolved units constitutionally mandated to run it to engage all stakeholders and make it a national agenda".
The Council of Governors plans to ask the National Treasury to set aside funds specifically for ECDE and a scheme of service will be developed for its teachers.
