Politicians in civil service at risk: Lusaka issues ultimatum to public officials, rearranges cabinet

Bungoma Governor Issues Political Campaigning Ultimatum and Announces Cabinet Reshuffle

Bungoma County Governor Kenneth Lusaka has issued a one-week ultimatum to public officers engaging in premature political campaigns. In a bid to boost efficiency in service delivery, Lusaka announced a reorganisation of his cabinet.

The reshuffle saw Sam Nalwa transferred from the Chief Officer for Education and Vocational Training to Lands and Urban Planning. George Kombo was appointed as the new Chief Officer for Education, while Dr. Monicah Fedha was appointed as the new CECM for Lands, Urban, and Physical Planning. Douglas Sasita was moved from CECM for Lands and Urban Planning to the Department of Trade, Energy, and Industrialisation.

Lusaka, who is serving his second and last term in office, set to end in 2027, stated that early campaigns by public workers undermine service delivery. He urged those in positions of responsibility to work diligently to deliver on the administration's pledges without fail.

The governor also warned that he would sack any officer found flouting the directive of engaging in early politics. Lusaka stated that public jobs are for serving the people, not for political campaigning.

The Bungoma County seat has attracted several bigwigs for the succession, including Kimilili MP Didmas Barasa, Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, former Bungoma governor Wycliffee Wangamati, and businessman Zachariah Barasa. However, Lusaka stated that the reshuffle solely focuses on effective service delivery.

Lusaka is trying to follow voters in Bungoma who are primarily members of the Bukusu community. He aims to ensure that the county's resources are utilised to benefit the local population. The governor's reshuffle of his cabinet is part of a broader strategy to realign roles and strengthen service delivery across departments.