Kitui Governor Julius Malombe has said governors who lost their second bids in 2017 will move to the Supreme Court to seek constitutional amendments to allow them to run for their full terms until 2032.
The governor said although the 2010 Constitution of Kenya, which is popularly known to most Kenyans as the New Constitution, limits the terms of a governor to two, he and his colleagues who served their first term in 2013 before losing their second attempt in 2017, will coalesce in an unanimous unity to seek ultimate amendment on Chapter two, Article 180 of the constitution.
Speaking when he launched the county youths’ PlugMtaani-Vijana2Invest Initiative's Business Idea Competition at the county administration block on Thursday, Dr Malombe said he was optimistic that the ambiguity in the election of county governor and his deputy will be clarified and adjusted to enable him, in particular, to serve Kitui people diligently and satisfactorily until 2032.
“I want to leave a firm legacy at the end of my term, whether in 2027 or in 2032. Some lawyers argue that governors will serve two terms whether consecutive or not. Others including lawyers say it should be amended to make the two terms consecutive. We will ask the Supreme Court for interpretation in 2026,” Malombe said.
He urged his supporters and residents in the county in general to rest assured that his term in office will end in 2032. He said there is no doubt the contentious chapter and article in the constitution will be appropriately addressed and put straight on record at the appropriate time.
Chapter two - The Republic, Article 180 - Election of county governor and deputy county governor states that a person shall not hold office––
(a) As a county governor for more than two terms or (b) As a deputy county governor for more than two terms.
Malombe said his dream and aspiration was to resuscitate the development and transformation’s vision and agenda for the semi-arid county, and to progressively improve residents’ livelihoods and their living standards.
Malombe who served as the pioneer governor for his first term before losing to his successor Ms Charity Ngilu in 2017 elections, said he took over a dysfunctional devolved unit which he founded in his first term in office.He recaptured the seat in the last General Election in which Ngilu opted not to defend her seat.
“I seek to lead a county with vibrant rural and urban economies whose people enjoy high quality of life. My leadership is premised on transformative, inclusive, equitable, consultative, and participatory leadership based on values and principles of efficient service delivery and an enabling socio-economic environment, motivated, qualified, and competent staff, capacity building, staff welfare including timely payment of salaries,” he said.
The governor told hundreds of youths that the PlugMtaani-Vijana2Invest Initiative's Business Idea Competition was an initiative in line with his 16-point Development agenda (The Kitui Promise) that recognises the youth as an essential and indispensable driver in economic transformation. The Kitui Promise also lays a strong emphasis on supporting Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to identify and nurture local talent across various sectors.
Malombe said with 25 per cent Kenya’s youth population of approximately 12.5 million (aged 18- 35 years), the country faces a serious youth unemployment problem hence the need to come up with initiatives to avert this. He said the initiative is thus geared towards addressing this problem to create an opportunity for the youth to thrive and grow the economy.
The governor said as at the county level, his administration has approved the youths participation in the competition through the Ministry of Trade, Industry, MSMEs, Innovation and Cooperatives (MTIMIC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Youth, ICT, and Sports and Social Services (CGYISSS) to spearhead the initiative.
“In the next 3 days, 200 youth will be engaged in valuable training sessions facilitated by the Institute of Certified Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) Trainers, whereby they will be taken through an intensive training programme to package their innovative business ideas into economic transformation engines. This competition is a testament to the rich potential we have among our young people in this county and I therefore urge you to take it with the seriousness it deserves to be a life-transforming opportunity even for generations to come,” Malombe said.
He promised the youths of his administration’s unwavering support and encouragement. “This competition should be a platform for you to shine, innovate, and turn your dreams into a reality. Our role is to guide and mentor you, and I am confident that your ideas will not only benefit you but also play a pivotal role in the economic transformation of our county and country,” the county boss said.
STORY By PAUL MUTUA
MWINGI TIMES for timely and authoritative news.
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