Governors who can't share the podium with their deputies

The endless tussle for supremacy between governors and their deputies has reared its ugly head again, this time in Trans Nzoia County.

The main issues are the failure to implement pre-election pacts, including the sharing of key appointments, corruption and clan politics.

Governor George Natembeya is currently embroiled in a bitter dispute with his deputy, Philomena Kapkory, who has asked the Senate to intervene.

The Natembeya-Kapkory row comes just months after Kenya Kwanza leaders presided over a reconciliation between Kericho Governor Eric Mutai and his deputy Fred Kirui.

Such infighting has already led to the impeachment of Siaya Deputy Governor William Oduol by the county assembly, but the Senate failed to uphold the charges brought against him by members of the county assembly (MCAs).

In just over a year since the governors and their deputies were sworn in, there have been power struggles between county bosses and their deputies in at least four counties, including Kericho, Siaya, Meru and Baringo.

There are also reports of a cold war between governors and their deputies in Nairobi and Kiambu counties.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations, Ms Kapkory laid bare the frustrations she has faced since falling out with Governor Natembeya, detailing how she has been excluded, discriminated against and sidelined in decision-making and the running of county affairs.

She told the committee, chaired by Wajir Senator Mohamed Abass, how she was constantly sidelined in key meetings and other county functions.

She also alleged that Governor Natembeya has encouraged and condoned insubordination and disrespect towards her by some members of the executive and junior staff.

This is in addition to the arbitrary reduction and delay of budgetary relief for the legitimate operations of her office.

Ms Kapkory also claimed that her boss had overlooked bullying, undermining and posting of insulting and demeaning messages about her, despite reporting the same to the governor.

The DG went on to claim that she had been denied the use of a deputy governor's designated residence, as well as threats to her personal safety and life via WhatsApp chats and Facebook posts.

Despite being handed the keys to the official residence by her predecessor in August last year, the DG says the office has been locked and she has been denied access.

Instead, she claimed, the governor's wife was later allocated the same house as her office and she was never given an alternative official residence.

“My predicaments as a deputy governor border on lack of facilitation to discharge duties, contempt, mistreatment, intimidation, security and threats to life, public vilification, and deliberate acts of disrespect by junior county staff, among others,” said Ms Kapkory.

She added that in September, while in the United States attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), she was informed by concerned residents of abusive and threatening posts on various social media platforms targeting her.

The deputy governor alleged that the threatening messages were posted by known officials who are part of Mr Natembeya's communications team, and that the messages were published or posted after a delegation of Sabaot community members made a presentation to the National Dialogue Committee at the Bomas in Nairobi, calling for the creation of an additional county.

She said the threats were personal and the constant message was that she did not need to set foot in her office as she had become "persona non-grata".

“The threats were to the effect that if I stepped in the office or if I was seen, the said officials were ready to 'deal with me',” she said.

Ms Kapkory said she reported the threat to her boss in a letter dated October 4, 2023, but the governor has yet to respond or take any action.

Instead, she alleged that Mr Natembeya had joined in the public vilification by making public speeches intended to defame, humiliate and further disrespect her, putting her in grave danger.

She added that she had reported the matter to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at Muthangari Police Station and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) last month, but no action had been taken.

Efforts to reach the governor or his head of communications to respond to his deputy's allegations proved futile as he had not responded to our calls and messages by the time of going to press.

Since the advent of devolution in 2013, infighting between county leaders and their deputies has plagued some counties, with several attempts by party leaders, the Council of Governors and pressure groups to restore unity proving futile in most cases.

Kisumu, Kiambu, Nairobi, Nyamira, Kisii, Siaya, Baringo, Kericho, Murang'a, Machakos and Meru counties are some of the counties that have witnessed such wrangles.

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