This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
On May 20, 2020, Vihiga Governor Wilbur Ottichilo made a significant move by replacing acting county secretary Philip Gavuna with Ezekiel Ayiego. This decision is seen as part of Ottichilo's strategy to dismantle the corrupt cartel at the county that has almost costed him his seat.
Ayiego, the principal of Chesamisi Boys' High School, emerged as the best candidate among those shortlisted for the position. Ottichilo has already handed Ayiego's name to the Vihiga county assembly for approval, a move that many say was well calculated.
Many Vihiga residents supported Ottichilo's decision to hand the plum job to Ayiego instead of Gavuna, who is said to have messed up the county public service board since he took over from the veteran county secretary Francis Ominde.
Gavuna has been accused of overhiring staff, including ghost workers, in the department of trade and health. Ottichilo was forced to carry the burden of paying ghost workers in the department of trade until their contracts were terminated.
As acting county secretary, Gavuna oversaw the hiring of health staff where the county ministry of health overhired over 500 health workers instead of 149. Gavuna and his human resource director counterpart Millicent Madara have not given Ottichilo the reason why they failed to contain such a mess.
They have left the burden to Ottichilo, who is spending sleepless nights on how to manage the bloated county wage bill. Gavuna and Madara have been served with letters by the county public service board to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for messing up the county public service and human resource departments.
