Siaya Governor James Orengo and his Kakamega counterpart Fernandes Barasa last week asked Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to let the governors do their work.
This was after the deputy president publicly attacked Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja for making crucial county decisions without consulting him and his Kikuyu community.
“Deputy President (Rigathi Gachagua) must respect the constitution. Governor Sakaja is the one who was given the mandate by Nairobians to govern the affairs of Nairobi County. Let him work without interference,” Kakemga Governor Fernandes Barasa said.
However, appearing on Inoro TV on Sunday, January 8, the former Mathira Member of Parliament maintained that he has constitutional powers to lecture county bosses about what they are supposed to do.
While dismissing his critics accusing him of overstepping on his mandate, the second in command maintained the President has given him powers to summon all the 47 governors on how to run their counties.
He argued that the executive order by President William Ruto makes him the bridge between the National and County Governments hence there was nothing wrong in correcting governors.
“There is no governor that I cannot tell what they need to do…. It is there outlined in the Executive order issued by the president, that I’m the bridge between the National and County Governors,” said the DP.
His comments come just days after the deputy president has been exchanging words in public with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja over how the latter is running and managing the city.
While Sakaja maintained that his plan to kick out Matatu from the Central Business District was aimed at decongesting the city, Gachagua on the other side argues that the move was negatively affecting the Kikuyu community who are the majority stakeholders in the transport sector.
