In a development that has stirred political controversy, Ms. Lina Kawia Mutinda, sister to Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe’s top aide, Mr. William Mutinda, has been approved for a position on the Kitui Municipal Board by the Kitui County Assembly.
This approval follows a contentious nomination process marked by allegations of nepotism and procedural breaches.Ms. Mutinda’s nomination sparked a sharp divide within the Assembly, with accusations that her brother, Mr. William Mutinda, leveraged his close ties to Governor Malombe to influence her appointment.
The matter came to a head on August 27, 2024, during a session of the County Assembly’s Committee on Appointments, where key witnesses testified about irregularities in the nomination process.Ms. Mulewa, the Acting County Secretary, confirmed during her testimony that the letter authorizing the appointments was authored by Urban Development Chief Officer Mr. Evans Mutemi.
She noted that, despite his influential position, Mr. Mutemi lacked the authority to make such appointments, which traditionally come from the relevant departments.“It has always been the tradition for appointments to come from the relevant departments for consideration.
The Chief Officer is not an appointing officer, yet he took it upon himself to write to the Board regarding the advertisement of vacancies,” Ms. Mulewa told the committee.
Further complicating matters, Kitui County Public Service Chairperson Dr. Florence Makindi alleged that Mr. Mutemi had overstepped his mandate by issuing the letter for the Municipal Board vacancies, a move she argued was beyond his legal authority. Dr. Makindi was also unable to confirm the availability of critical documents required for the nominations, raising additional concerns about the integrity of the process.
The Assembly’s Committee on Appointments further criticized the nomination process, highlighting that two nominees, Ms. Judith N. Kasanga and Mr. William Kitema Jedidah, were forwarded despite lacking essential documents such as a Certificate of Good Conduct and clearance from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB). Speaker Kinengo Katisya expressed his concerns, stating, “You approved candidates without the required mandatory documents and forwarded individuals with questionable credentials to the Governor.”
Despite these concerns, the Assembly ultimately approved the controversial nominees, with reports indicating that party politics played a significant role in the decision. An insider from the Assembly disclosed to Channel 15 News that key political figures intervened to suppress the report from the Committee that implicated Governor Malombe’s aide.
“It’s true. A game of politics played out. Sadly, there was nothing we could do other than watch from the sidelines,” the insider said.
In a dramatic twist, the Assembly saw a shake-up in its leadership, with the previous Majority Leader and Whip being dethroned following their opposition to the Executive, which enjoys broad support from the dominant party in the Kitui Assembly.
The report supporting Ms. Mutinda’s nomination was backed by MCAs Munyoki Mwinzi (Kyuso), Alex Mutambu Nganga (Minority Leader and Miambani MCA), and Hussein Mwandia (Ikutha), while the Committee Chairperson, Hon. Kevin Kinengo Katisya, and Hon. Mathew Ngovi Vuthi (Chuluni) dissented.
The dissent was particularly focused on the fact that Ms. Mutinda was nominated by the unregistered association Kitui Youth Link, which the dissenters argued was contrary to Section 14 (3) (d) of the Urban Areas and Cities Act. Despite these objections, the majority in the Assembly approved her nomination, signaling a commitment to ensuring a fully constituted board, even amidst the ongoing controversies.
