Governor Andrew Mwadime, rise up and work because you promised to

BY MARY MKANJALA

As the Governor of Taita Taveta county, you were bestowed with the profound responsibility of catalyzing positive change and facilitating sustainable development in the region. The electorate resonated with the hopes and aspirations you articulated during your campaign, and it was on this basis that you were elected to your present position.

Regrettably, we have noticed a palpable deviation from the ideals and commitments you passionately enunciated during your electoral campaign. Your decisions and actions since your inauguration as governor have not conformed to the promises that were made, leaving many of us disillusioned and disenchanted. We implore you to revisit the commitments you articulated and take unequivocal measures to fulfill them for the betterment of Taita Taveta county and its residents.

Recall, Governor, the pledges you made during your campaign period. You explicitly assured us that all county health facilities would be sufficiently furnished with medical supplies and personnel. However, there is an ostensible discrepancy between your rhetoric and reality. Immediately after assumption of office, you made an unpremeditated visit to Moi County Referral Hospital Voi and reiterated your commitment to enhancing health facilities for the betterment of the residents. You failed to actualize these promises in this department!

As residents, we hold you and your office accountable for the pledges made during your campaigns. Your vow to provide superior healthcare facilities to the residents was a critical factor in your election. It is lamentable that the elderly populace, who formerly enjoyed free medical services, are now without access to quality healthcare. The provision of quality healthcare is a fundamental right of every citizen, and we entreat you to uphold this right and restore dignity to our vulnerable population who cannot afford private healthcare.

As a candidate seeking public office, you proffered a solemn commitment to county workers that if elected, their remunerations would be paid expeditiously every month. Moreover, you pledged to establish local mechanisms to address exigent needs such as medical supplies and their salaries in the event of delayed disbursement of funds from the National Treasury. However, the current scenario paints a diametrically different portrait and betrays your promises. County personnel are presently weathering inordi- nate salary delays, resulting in rental evictions, school dropouts among their progeny, and untold agony stemming from belated loan deductions. These laborers form the backbone of the local economy, and their industrious contributions underpin the small-scale vendors, boda-boda riders, and sundry enterprises. They voted overwhelmingly for you, trusting that you would prioritize their welfare. Hence, it is imperative to ask: what has occasioned the shift from your initial commitment to engender alternate revenue streams to tackle some of the most exigent issues?

Governor, it is a shame that the county staff is enduring such unwarranted hardships even as they endeavor to deliver essential services to the community. The gravity of the situation is exacerbated by the fact that their distress radiates to their dependents and the wider society As a leader elected on a mandate of prioritizing the people’s welfare, it is incumbent upon you to act resolutely and expeditiously. It is vital to uphold your vow to institute alternate revenue streams to defray emergency needs and preclude salary delays. This approach will alleviate the county staff of their present predicament and restore their confidence in your leadership.

As a leader, it is essential to prioritize the welfare of those who elected you and ensure that their aspirations are realized. Thus, it is incumbent upon you to take concrete measures to address the current crisis and forestall its recurrence in the future.

I comprehend that you are conversant with the pressing issue of pending bills that has beleaguered our county since the advent of devolution. Regrettably, your predecessor failed to ameliorate this quagmire. However, during your countywide campaign, you pledged to liquidate all outstanding dues owed to contractors and suppliers expeditiously once you assumed office. Nonetheless, these contractors and suppliers have lately aired their grievances before the County Assembly budget committee, protesting your unfulfilled promise. I implore you to prioritize the resolution of these outstanding debts, as it is not only your responsibility but also a moral obligation that you owe to your county residents.

It is critical to understand that liquidating these unpaid bills is not a mere discharge of debt.

Instead, it is an investment in the local economy that will enable contractors and suppliers to resume their businesses, create employment opportunities for our youth, and enhance our citizens’ livelihoods. As you are cognizant, the informal sector is a pivotal cog in our economy, and any menace to its existence owing to non- payment will adversely impact the common mwananchi, your devoted voters. They entrusted you with their future and cast their ballots for you in the hope that you would live up to your promises. The time has now come to uphold those commitments and demonstrate your mettle as a leader.

On a matter that has been whispered about in clandestine tone; Our revenue collection has been diminishing at an alarming rate, raising questions about whether tax evasion has proliferated or if there is an undisclosed route through which our taxes are being surreptitiously funneled. If this ominous trend persists, it will undoubtedly impede service delivery, as the revenue stream was budgeted for in the annual budget. During your election campaign, you made a solemn promise to plug all the loopholes that are siphoning our taxes and streamline revenue collections. However, our own revenue collection has plunged to a paltry less than 30%. Therefore, it is imperative that you take prompt and resolute action to investigate and address the issue of revenue collection. This will not only invigorate transparency and accountability in the government but also restore public confidence in the governance system. Moreover, it will facilitate adequate financing of crucial development initiatives and public services. Therefore, I implore you to take the necessary measures to revive revenue collection to acceptable standards. Failure to do so will have far-reaching implications and erode the trust that citizens have reposed in your government.

I would like to laud you for your meritorious efforts to support the education of vulnerable children through the allocation of 100 million shillings for the kit. Nonetheless, I have an earnest concern regarding your participation in the Wards bursary awards exercise. This is an exercise that could be competently handled by a Member of County Assembly in the respective Ward, accompanied by a representative from your office. By attending this event, along with half of your government, you incur superfluous expenses such as allowances, travel, and much more, which could have been allocated to the bursary allocation basket, thereby benefitting more children. During your campaign, you vowed to establish a government that would prioritize serving the people and eschew squandering financial resources at the expense of ordinary folks. I implore you to allocate the such funds to educate more vulnerable children, rather than dissipating them on avoidable expenditures. Only then can you fulfill your commitment to a government that is genuinely committed to serving the people and putting their needs first.

Your campaign platform's unequivocal stance on addressing the pressing water crisis in our county was a decisive factor in garnering our enthusiastic support for you. However, we must convey our collective disappointment at the seeming abandonment of majority residents plight, as they continue to languish in their pursuit of potable water. Despite the National Government through Ministry of Water assurances regarding the refurbishment of the Kighombo and Mwatate dams, we remain unsure of the county government’s meaningful contributions to these endeavors. Past experiences have shown us that the county government has taken undue credit for national government projects, only to be challenged by well-informed residents. While your government officials visit to Kishenyi dam to expedite the desilting process before the rainy season was a commendable display of attention, it appears to have been nothing more than a superficial show of commitment. Unfortunately, we will find ourselves grappling with the same water shortage predicament a mere few months in future. We implore you to revisit your campaign manifesto and rekindle your unwavering commitment to addressing the water crisis in Taita Taveta County. Your election was based on the promise of progress and efficient leadership, yet you seem to be reneging on your responsibilities in these trying times, less than a year into your tenure. The people of Taita Taveta County reposed their trust in you with their votes, and they are looking to you for solutions. The time has come for you to display decisive leadership and implement tangible measures to deliver on your commitments. It is of utmost importance that you prioritize the welfare of our majority residents and ensure that they no longer endure the hardship of seeking out clean water.

As a concerned and dedicated voter who fervently espoused your campaign, I find myself thoroughly disenchanted by your outright disdain for the very manifesto that you championed with such unbridled passion during your candidacy.

It is with a heavy heart that I bear witness to your trajectory down the same deleterious path as your predecessors, culminating in their ignominious demise, abbreviated term in office, and an avalanche of animus from disenchanted voters who were hoodwinked by their Insubstantial promises.

Governor, while I am cognizant of the arduous challenges that you confront, it is imperative that you distinguish yourself from the pack by delivering tangible, unequivocal outcomes. I implore you to retrace your steps before you forfeit the confidence and loyalty of a multitude of others who believed in your leadership. While it may be premature to render an irreversible judgment on your tenure, the writing on the wall is glaringly evident. The future appears bleak for the county, and it is your responsibility, Governor Andrew

Empty rhetoric is grossly insufficient; actions must be congruent with the proclamations made, and the vows taken during the campaign must be realized. Only then can you garner the unfaltering allegiance and assurance of the people whom you represent.

-Truly Patriotic, -Mary Mkanjala – Voice of Voiceless