News & Events

A Statement was sought on 24th March 2021 on the Boundary dispute between Kasigau Community and Rukinga Ranching CO Ltd by Hon Abraham Juma,MCA Kasigau Ward.

“Mr. Speaker, Sir, there has been an ongoing boundary dispute between the Rukinga ranch Company limited and the residents of Mwangwede and Mwakwasinyi villages.

The rising tension in the area in question prompted the Board of Directors of Rukinga ranch Company limited to write to the County Government through the County Surveyors vide letter dated 25th January, 2021 and copied to the Land registrar, Taita Taveta County, the MCA Kasigau Ward, the DCC, Voi Sub County, the OCS, Voi Police Station, the Ag. Director, KWS and the Chief Kasigau location. The objective of the letter was to request the County lands department to send surveyors to meet with the Rukinga ranch Company Limited officials and the elders of the Mwangwede and Mwakwasinyi Villages to come up with an agreeable boundary for the ranch.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, land survey and mapping are functions of the devolved County Government pursuant to SCHEDULE FOUR, part two of the CoK, 2010. Land matters in our County are very sensitive and it is sad to note that its now two months since the request was made and to date nothing has been done regarding the request.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, in view of the above, I therefore request the CECM, Lands, Mining, Housing and Energy through the Chairperson, Lands, Human – Wildlife Conflict Resolution Committee to take up the matter and have the County Surveyor meet the leaders of the two disputed areas to agree on the boundary dispute and report the progress of the exercise to this House within fourteen (14) days. “

With the concern by Members of the County Assembly on the CECM Lands always missing out on consultative meetings with the County Assembly,The Speaker directed members of the Committee to get means on how surveyors can visit the land and solve the issue exhaustively, as they wait for the CECM to appear on Tuesday to answer on several statements sought by members of the County Assembly.

Wundanyi /Mbale ward member of County Assembly Hon. Stephen Mcharo sought a statement 0n 31st March 2021 from the chairperson Trade, Industry and Cooperative development committee, on the status of Wundanyi modern market.

Hon. Mcharo said Wundanyi market has been under construction since 2019 with the original plan being a storey building housing stalls and groceries with a budget allocation Ksh. 122 million but the plan was changed to an ordinary market with 124 groceries and 110 stalls at a cost of Ksh 10 million and 22 million for phase one and phase two respectively after the project management committee comprising of traders cited budgetary constraints.

The legislator said the construction of the market was scheduled to commence in 2019 but failed to kick off until 2020 where the county government department sent a contractor who was to complete the construction and hand over by January 26th 2021 but the market has not been completed to date.

“Mr. Speaker traders are suffering since they were moved to another location with poor customer flow hence leaving them to languish in abject poverty since their sales declined sharply,” said Hon Mcharo.

Hon Mcharo decried lack of commitment by the County executive department of Trade, Tourism and Industrialization in ensuring that the market is completed in time since the contractor was not paid Ksh. 3.5 million as part of his payment that would enable him compete the project.

The legislator said Covid -19 has adversely affected traders thus forcing them to return to the uncompleted market with no shelter in a bid to make a living,claiming that they were at least making sales owing to the fact that the market is next to matatu stage with a better flow of customers as compared to where they were and as a gesture of how strategic and important the market site was for them.

Hon. Mcharo asked the committee to inform the house when the project will be completed, when the contractor will be paid his dues and if the contractor defaulted and is to be dismissed when will a new contractor report at the site and what will be the fate of the poor traders.

Adding her voice to the statement Nominated Member of County Assembly Hon. Bertinah Mwaiseghe said while other markets in the county were fast being constructed and completed poor traders in Wundanyi market have been neglected and sidelined despite paying their licenses which contributed to the county revenue.

Also adding his voice to the statement Mwanda/Mgange ward member of County Assembly Hon. Anselm Mwadime said the current situation which forced the traders to go back to the uncompleted market and at the road sides posing a risk not only to the traders but to other road users.

“Mr. Speaker it is too annoying to see an elderly woman risking her life selling by the road side just because she wants to making a living for her family yet the county government is watching!” said Hon. Mwadime.

Speaker Maganga Meshack Maghanga directed the Committee to summon the County Executive Committee Member( CECM) in charge of Trade Tourism, Industrialization and Cooperative development to appear before the whole house next week to shade light on the matter.

Nominated Member of County Assembly, Hon. Christopher Mwambingu has today sought a Statement from the Chairperson of Health and Sanitation Services Committee, on the status of drugs and service delivery in county health facilities.

The Legislator decried deteriorated service delivery in county health facilities namely; Moi County Referral Hospital (MCRH), Wesu and Mwatate sub-County Hospitals due to shortage of health workers following the termination of employment for nurses who are yet to be reinstated.

Hon. Mwambingu added that the situation has also been escalated by inadequate drugs and non-pharmaceuticals forcing county residents to purchase drugs from retail drug stores despite the harsh economic situation being experienced nationwide.

He asked the Committee of Health and Sanitation Services to furnish the House with the following information:
1) The state of availability of drugs and non-pharmaceuticals in the county
2) The state of operations in Moi County Referral Hospital, Wesu and Mwatate sub-County Hospitals
3) What the Department is doing to ensure operations are restored in all county health facilities?

Speaker of the County Assembly, Hon. Maganga M. Maghanga directed the Committee to bring an elaborate feedback to the House within seven calendar days.
According to the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Fourth Schedule Part 2(2)(a) and (c), the functions and powers of the county are the County Health Services, including, and in particular county health facilities and pharmacies; and promotion of primary care. Article 43(1)(a) also stipulates that every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes right to health care services, including reproductive health care.