Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu has withdrawn his nominee for the post of Agriculture County Executive as the man has also been nominated in Nyeri County.
Mr Henry Gichuhi was among Mr Waititu’s 10 nominees, whose vetting was scheduled to begin on Friday morning.
NOMINEE
But the Tanzania-based agriculture expert had also been named in Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru’s management team, which is also scheduled to vet nominees.
Nyeri Deputy Governor Mutahi Kahiga had initially insisted that their nominee for Agriculture was not the same person nominated in Kiambu.
In an earlier interview with the Nation, Speaker John Kaguchia also said he was not aware that the same name he tabled before the assembly had also been tabled in the Kiambu County Assembly.
On Wednesday, Kiambu Deputy Governor James Nyoro told the Nation Mr Gichuhi’s nomination was withdrawn as he misled them by failing to disclose his application for the same job in another county.
MIX-UP
“We had discussed with him so that he could take up the position and he agreed, and that’s why we presented his name [for vetting],” said Mr Nyoro.
But Mr Gichuhi blamed the Kiambu County Government for the mix-up, saying he was yet to be informed of his nomination.
“I had applied for the job in both counties. On October 6, I received an email from the Nyeri County Assembly informing me of the date for vetting,” he said.
“I have no official communication from the Kiambu team, therefore I will not be appearing for vetting.”
EXPERT
Mr Gichuhi is a technical adviser at Dalberg Global Development in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
He previously worked as a consultant in the Tanzanian President’s office attached to the Agriculture Delivery Division when Jakaya Kikwete was President.
Mr Gichuhi has worked in Tanzania for five years. He comes from Nyange Village, Kieni Constituency, Nyeri County.
He holds a Master of Science in Organisation from the United States International University and graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. He has 17 years’ experience in the agriculture sector.
SPARED
It was while working in Tanzania that Mr Gichuhi met Mr Nyoro, who was then the representative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Nation was also told that Mr Waititu wanted to recruit Nyeri’s executive for Agriculture, Robert Thuo, but was informed that Governor Gakuru will retain him.
Mr Thuo was the only county executive spared when Dr Gakuru took office. The governor sent home five executives on compulsory leave, including the county secretary.
In the list of nominees tabled in the Nyeri County Assembly, Mr Thuo has been moved from the Agriculture docket to the Finance and Economic Planning docket.
