This archive report was first published on 3 September 2019.
Former Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello and businessman Ken Akoko have been sacked from the Kisumu City Board for lacking the required qualifications. The sacking, which took effect immediately, was in line with the Urban Areas and Cities (Amendment) Act, 2019, which came into force in March this year.
The Act revised the qualifications for board membership, requiring members to hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution in Kenya, have a distinguished career in a medium-level management position, at least seven years of post-qualification professional experience, and meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution.
Okello, who represented the Association of Urban Areas and Cities, and Akoko, an individual member, were notified of their sacking through letters signed by acting County Secretary George Okong'o. The letters cited the new law as the reason for their termination.
Okello served as Kisumu Mayor between 2008 and 2013 and unsuccessfully vied for the Kisumu Central parliamentary seat in 2017. Akoko is a Kisumu-based businessman with interests in local politics.
The two were among 11 members of the city board who took office last July on a five-year term. They will not be compensated for the remaining part of their term, and the County Public Service Board will commence the recruitment of their replacements as soon as possible.
County Director of Communication Aloice Ager said the county government has communicated with the office of the Attorney General to seek advice on the matter. Ager argued that the new law should not be implemented retrospectively and that the best course of action was to terminate the contracts of the two board members.
According to an advisory by the office of the Attorney General, Governor Anyang' Nyong'o was instructed to ensure full implementation of the new Act to prevent the operations of the board from being rendered illegal.
