Mediation: Raila offers to mediate Samboja, MCAs row

By , K24 Digital
On Tue, 30 Jul, 2019 00:00 | < 1 min read
Granton Samboja
ODM leader Raila Odinga. Photo/FILE
ODM leader Raila Odinga (left) with Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja. PHOTO | FILE
Mercy Mwai @wangumarci

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has expressed concern over the wastage and outright theft of public resources in counties.

In a statement to newsrooms, Raila, who was meeting Taita Taveta MCAs, said he would send a fact-finding team to investigate the standoff between Governor Granton Samboja and ward representatives in a bid to find a solution.

His spokesperson Dennis Onyango said Raila took the opportunity to call for an end to the stalemate to avert a leadership crisis.

“On the stand-off in Taita Taveta, Odinga promised to send a fact-finding team to the ground after which he will convene another meeting between the Assembly and the Executive,” reads the statement in part.

Express disappointment

At the meeting, Raila expressed disappointment with the wastage of public resources in counties.

“The country has no option but reviews the structure and operations of devolution to ensure voters get value for money,” he said.

The move comes after Raila, last week, hosted a delegation of leaders from Taita Taveta county led by Samboja who is seeking to solve a budget impasse with MCAs.  

The governor has been calling on residents to sign a petition to dissolve the county government claiming that MCAs were holding his administration hostage for selfish reasons.

Samboja claimed the move by MCAs to pass Sh5.3 billion with each MCA allocating themselves Sh41.5 million for projects would bring county operations to a halt.

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