GARISSA COUNTY GOVERNOR SACKS 4 EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

BY ADOW JUBAT

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama has on Monday dismissed four county executive committee members over alleged poor service delivery, incompetency and failure to meet the set developmental blueprint for the county officials.

In terse brief attached to the letters dismissing the executive members Jama lamented that the officials has become a letdown to his administration service delivery adding that he will crack the whip on any county officials who is not delivering services to the public as required.

The sacked executives are Salah Yakub who is in-charge of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources, Hussein Hajir – Education, Public Service, Intergovernmental and Labour Relations, Idriss Mukhtar – Trade, Youth, Sports and Special Programmes and Mukhtar Bulale – Water.

The governor said he had acted after receiving soaring complaints against the four from members of the public over their non performance.

"What we need is service delivery to the people of Garissa who we work for. Any laxity from any county employer will not be tolerated. We will make sure that the people of Garissa County get the services they deserve most," Governor Jama added.

He added that the necessary process to fill the vacancies left by the four had already started and the names will be tabled at the assembly in due time to avoid a standstill in the affected offices.

Last week in a meeting with his executive officers, the Governor gave the four 3 days to present to him a written reason as to why they were unable to deliver on their respective departments and course why they shouldn't sacked.

One of the dismissed executive who spoke to the Standard on the condition of anonymity accused the governor of stifling them of any resources and power to make them act on their juniors who were a letdown to their respective dockets.

"The governor is blaming us for not delivery, when we can't even make any decision on how to better our dockets. He is the one who want to micro manage anything happening in our ministries. We don't even have any independent access to our ministries money. If vehicles to respond to emergency aren't available", He said.|

Residents of Garissa County has on several times petitioned the Governor to address serious truancy and inefficiency among his county employees, who they accused of showing up in their respective offices when the governor is around just to disappear when he is out of office.

Various opinion polls rating service delivery at the 47 count units has given a bad rating to Garissa County a move that seen to have pushed the Governor Jama to crack the whip.

CPT ROBA INITIATES 86M PILOT COUNTY TRADE FUND

 
 BY ADOW JUBAT

Mandera Governor Ali Roba has launched an ambitious 86 million developed fund to help in addressing youth and women empowerment in face of shrinking employment opportunities in the country.

Launching the kitty dubbed as Mandera County Trade Development Fund (MCTDF) the county chief said initiative will offer a great leap toward addressing the ever increasing youth and women unemployment in the county.

Governor Roba said the fund will help to expand access to Islamic compliant credit to the youth and women groups and to generate gainful self-employment for the youth and women.

He urge the youth in the county to refrain from waiting for unavailable white collar jobs and instead borrow fund from several development kitties established by his administration and the national government and venture into businesses that will see them becoming self reliance and progress members of the society.

"The tendency among the youth of always expecting to be employed by the county or the national government should be discarded. Youth should instead look for alternative means of engaging themselves positively such as benefiting from this initiative", He advised.

He added "Since we took over as decentralized government my government has established several development funds to empower most vulnerable people in our society. We have initiated a cooperative fund which has been allocated 28 million shillings and fund for women and persons with disabilities with allocation of 48 million shillings",

Roba said his administration has also allocated 120 million shilling toward county bursary fund which will see the bright students from poor background to get an opportunity to continue with their education to the highest level possible.

The Mandera county boss said in the first phase each of the 30 wards in the county will be allocated with 3 million as the start fund adding that watertight legislation which shall ensure the prudent use of the money has been put in place to thwart miss.

Governor Roba urged the people of Mandera to appreciate the development brought to them by the new system of devolved governance which has changed the face of the county noting that in less than 2 years the county has achieved a lot in all sectors of development.

"In two years we managed to construct 577 kilometers of road, improved the education standard in the county which for the first time managed to produce over 400 students who attained grades that can take them to university and revived 52 collapsed health facilities", He said.

The county chief also noted his government improved agriculture and livestock sectors through implementation of proper policies and adequate funding adding that the outcome of the initiates were evident through the positive returns made by the farmers in the county.

"For the last two years despite our county experiencing biting drought our people and our livestock were not affected as it was previously the norms.
Our county used to be in the media every year of people and their animals dying of starvation, but with coming of devolution this has stopped since funds goes to the priority areas", He explained.

The MCTDF will consist of funds appropriated by the County Assembly, Grants and donations from partners/friends of Mandera County and Income generated from the proceeds of the Fund.

The Mandera County Trade Development Fund will be administered by a Board established by the MCTDF Act at the County level and Ward Committees in each of the 30 respective Wards.

PATIENTS TURNED TO SPIRITUAL HEALING AS HEALTH WORKERS STRIKE BITES IN MANDERA

 BY ADOW JUBAT

48 health facilities in Mandera County remained closed for third day running as 458 health workers down their tools on Monday citing poor working conditions and poor pay.

Meanwhile the six officials of Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) who were arrested by police on incitement claims were released, without any charges preferred against them even after they were held overnight at police cell after they were denied cash bill by the police.

Mohamednur Maalim Abdi who spoke for the striking health workers said they will not resume duty until the six issues they raised with their employer (the county government) is amicably resolved.

Abdi said the issues that they want addressed before they return to work are upgrading of all seconded staffs by one group job ahead by end of February 2015, implementation of Serem proposed house and hardship allowances by march 2015 and backdated to January 2014, immediate confirmation of the employed staffs and putting them into permanent and pensionable terms of employment.

Other demands Britam health cover for county contracting staffs like other county staffs.

The health workers also claimed that the working condition were deplorable with their staff quarters houses leaking during the rain and they have no toilets forcing them to share the same with patients. They also claimed that they serve patients while standing for the 8 hours they are be on duty since there were no a single chair to seat on.

The health workers who said they are striking as aggrieved workers as provided by in the article 41 of the constitution of Kenya accused the county administration of reneging on an agreement reached with them on the timeline their demands should be implemented.

The health employees who returned to work on February this year after a four similar go-slow said they decided to withdraw their services after the county government failed to honor raft of issues they promised to address.

However, the county executive member for Health Hassan Emoi disabused the workers assertion that the county was not doing enough to address the plight of health workers.

"When the county inherited health services from national government in 2013, there were only 154 in the entire county, when we took over we have employed 340 health workers in the last two years. This has helped in reducing the long working hours and stressing situation our healthcare workers were experiencing", He said.

He added "As a county government we understand the challenges such as insecurity and hardship our health workers undergoing while serving our people, but we are unhappy that they are impatient in allowing us to undergo all legal processes required to effect their demands",

Emoi said most of issues raised by the striking workers are in their final stage to be addressed noting that aggrieves such as promotion of staffs has to undergo long processes of reconstructing files of the employees so as to establish who is due for promotion, and who isn't.

He said " The health workers also want us to confirm the staff employed by the county and increase their salaries, but before a worker is confirmed the regulations states that they have to be on probation for year as their documents are be verified, while on the issue of salary increment has a national body to handle",

NURSES OFFICIALS IN MANDERA TO APPEAR IN COURT AS HEALTH FACILITIES CLOSES

 BY ADOW JUBAT

Six health workers who were arrested in Mandera on Monday afternoon as 458 health workers around the county embarked on indefinite work boycott that has paralyzed operations in 48 health facilities in the border county will appear in Mandera court at 9 am today.

The six, officials of Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) were picked from their houses at Mandera county referral hospital by police officers and put in cell at Mandera police station, where they spent the night after been denied cash bill by the police.

The Mandera County police commander Job Boronjo said the nurses will charged with incitements of fellow workers to participate in an illicit strike and also for contempt of court restraining them from going on strike as the issue were to be deliberated.

The county government on Friday last week sorted a court injunction stopping the strike which they term was illegal and meant to hurt innocent patients. The court is to be determine the issue on Thursday this week.

The health employees who returned to work on February this year after a four days similar go-slow said they decided to withdraw their services after the county government failed to honor raft of issues they promised to address.

Speaking to the Frontier Leaks from the police cell, Mohamednur Maalim Abdi the spokesman for the striking workers said the health workers were striking as aggrieved workers as provided by in the article 41 of the constitution of Kenya and they will not resume duties until all their demands are addressed amicably and speedily.

"After the Mandera county health workers strike on February this year, the county government signed agreement with us on 6th to address our concerns which we raised with them; however, up to date none out of 6 of our grievances were addressed. We treat this as abuse of workers", He said.

Abdi said the issues that is promoting the health employees to go on strike are upgrading of all seconded staffs by one group job ahead by end of February 2015, implementation of Serem proposed house and hardship allowances by march 2015 and backdated to January 2014, immediate confirmation of the employed staffs and putting them into permanent and pensionable terms of employment. Other demands Britam health cover for county contracting staffs like other county staffs.

The health workers also claimed that the working condition were deplorable with their staff quarters houses leaking during the rain and they have no toilets forcing them to share the same with patients. They also claimed that they serve patients while standing for the 8 hours they are be on duty since there were no a single chair to seat on.

However, the county executive member for Health Hassan Emoi disabused the workers assertion that the county was not doing enough to address the plight of health workers and instead accused them of insincere with their demands and impatient.

"When the county inherited health services from national government in 2013, there were only 154 in the entire county, when we took over we have employed 340 health workers in the last two years. This has helped in reducing the long working hours and stressing situation our healthcare workers were experiencing", He said.

He added "As a county government we understand the challenges such as insecurity and hardship working conditions our health workers were undergoing while serving our people, but we are unhappy that they are impatient in allowing us to undergo all legal processes required to effect their demands, which of course takes time",

Emoi said most of issues raised by the striking workers are in their final stage to be addressed noting that aggrieves such as promotion of staffs has to undergo long processes of reconstructing files of the employees so as to establish who is due for promotion, and who isn't adding that the process is in its completion now.

He said " The health workers also want us to confirm the staff employed by the county and increase their salaries, but before a worker is confirmed the regulations states that they have to be on probation for year as their documents are be verified, while on the issue of salary increment has a national body to handle",

A meeting by county health officials with health workers representative on Labour Day to thwart the strike ended in disarray, after the latter turn down call requesting them not to proceed with the industrial action claiming that they lost trust with the county government handling of their concerns.

Abdi said that the health workers has served the county their employer (the county government) a protest letter raising their concerns over delayed implementation of what has been agreed previously and again served 21 days strike notice to the county administration on 13th, April, which they claimed was also ignored.

BRUTAL MAN “ROASTED” WIFE FOR DISOBEYING HIM

BY ADOW JUBAT

A 16 years girl has been admitted at Mandera County referral hospital with a severe body burns, following a domestic quarrel with her estranged husband.

Minor Khadija Abdullahi from Shimbir Fatuma village in Mandera south constituency is alleged to have been burnt by enraged husband who doused burning charcoals on her body, after beating her unconsciously.

The victim was forced into marriage with old man of the age of her father according to the local people and women rights activists in Mandera County.

Speaking to the Frontier Leaks on phone, the charlady of Mandeleo Ya Wanawake Mandera County branch Ubah Abdi Ibrahim said the minor was allegedly scalded by her husband on 27th, January 2015 and then denied medical attention.

"An entire community of Shimbir Fatuma has conspired against this victim. After she was burnt badly by her husband nobody reported or helped to take her to hospital for treatment instead the entire village remained silent as the victim suffered at home with no medications for four months", she lamented.

Ms. I brahim said the victim couldn't be flown to Nairobi even after she got assistance from good Samaritans since she doesn't have any identity documents. 

"The victim is underage. She couldn't get identity card and since she was also born in far-flung area she doesn't have a birth certificate", She added.

Mandera County commissioner Alex Ole Nkoyo, described the attack against the minor as beastly act directed all chiefs and their assistants to be tough on men who perpetuating domestic violence against women or girl child.

"The woman has suffered severe burns on her chest and right arms. Her condition is bad and she needs to be urgently flown to Nairobi for specialised treatment", He said while speaking on phone.

Ole Nkoyo said he has directed the County police commander Job Boronjo to speedily arrest the chief and his assistants who has failed to report the incident on time for a prompt action to be taken against the culprit.

"I have instructed for the immediate arrests of the administrators from the area who seem to have conspired with the brutal husband by failing to report the incident. How can a woman who suffered such serious burns been kept in hiding for a month without the knowledge of the area chiefs?"He wondered.

"The suspect has went underground since the incident has came to the limelight after the woman was to taken to hospital and he is been pursued together with family members and relatives who knew about the incident but opted not to report to the authorities for action as required of them.

The Mandera referral hospital Dr. Mohamed Abdi said the victim has suffered a 3rd to 4th degree burn on her chest and right arm adding that she has undergone debridement (a medical procedure of removing dead/infected tissues on a patient).

"When she was brought to the health facility her condition was terrible since she was kept at home while she needed an urgent medical attention due to her severe burn condition, but now she has improved tremendously and she is out of danger", He said while speaking on phone.

He added "The victim's condition is now fine compared to when she was brought to the hospital. Her breasts down to the chest and right hand have completely been burnt off. She is badly disfigured and she requires an urgent airlift to Nairobi for a constructive surgery which is an expensive procedure",

Good Samaritans touched by the horrifying conditions of the victim of the one of the worst domestic violence reported in Northeastern region has started a campaign in social media to raise fund to enable Khadija to be airlifted to Nairobi for medication. She hails from extremely poor family.