Deputy governors have pleaded for Constitutional reforms to clearly define their roles, amid reports of the majority being sidelined by governors.
During an appearing before the Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Committee on Wednesday, the deputy governors said that majority are not included in the day-to-day management of counties.
They have requested a legal framework to define their roles as some are limited to only doing plain tasks such as reading newspapers.
A deputy governor earns Ksh.652,742 monthly gross salary. This is according to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
“Less than 10 counties are effectively collaborating with their Governors. We want to formalize the role of Deputy Governor to ensure value for money. Why should a Deputy Governor be paid Ksh.600,000 if their role is limited to reading newspapers? We are not advocating this for our own benefit but for the future of devolution,” Elgeyo Marakwet Deputy Governor Gladys Cheserek stated.
The Deputy Governors noted lack of communication with governors, which often led to exclusion from county matters.
In turn, Deputy Speaker of the Senate Kathuri Murungi proposed the County Governments Amendments Bill 2024, to allow the deputy governors to chair county executive committee meetings, assume the role of head of disaster management in counties, and oversight responsibilities for service delivery units.
In the past, several deputy governors have had strained relationships with the governors, with their differences spilling out in public.
