This archive report was first published on 9 July 2019.
Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has called for a ceasefire in Taita Taveta county as mediation talks to quell the tensions between the county government and MCA's kicked off.
On July 9, 2019, Wamalwa led a team of Senators, Treasury officials, and technocrats from the Devolution ministry in talks with the county executive.
The mediation talks come after Governor Granton Samboja started the process to have the county dissolved over what he termed as harassment from the members of the County Assembly.
Wamalwa described the petition by the governor to have the county dissolved as a grave matter, emphasizing that the law provides for a mechanism to resolve emerging issues amicably and ensure the electorates do not suffer.
“Conflicts are disruptive and interfere with service delivery to the citizens,” he noted while affirming Government’s commitment to supporting and strengthening Devolution to ensure realization of the Big Four Agenda in our counties.
He further stated that inter-governmental teams will visit the County soon in a bid to find a solution to the crisis.
Wamalwa's call for a ceasefire comes as the wrangles between Taita Taveta Executive and the MCAs over a budget impasse have seen Samboja sign a memorandum to dissolve the county government.
The MCAs had allocated themselves Ksh41.5 million each for projects in their wards, however, the governor declined to assent to the budget terming the move illegal and vowed not to give into the MCA’s demands.
