Appointment
Homa Bay County Assembly Service Board has appointed the County Lands Chief Officer Hanington Abeka to be the acting clerk. Abeka replaces embattled former acting Clerk Anne Ager who resigned from office last month.
County Speaker Julius Gaya said the new acting clerk was seconded from the executive. Gaya said that the appointment was done through the office of the County Secretary Prof Bernard Muok. Former Clerk Ms Ager and the Speaker were summoned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) early last month over issues on her appointment.
The former acting Clerk was required to provide her personal file as the acting clerk and her appointment letter as the acting clerk. She soon thereafter resigned. Activist Evans Oloo has however opposed the appointment of the new Clerk. In a letter to the County Assembly Service Board, Oloo said the new acting clerk was serving as a Chief Officer on a contract basis which he argued disqualified him from holding the position of Clerk to the Assembly.
He said only permanent and pensionable employees were eligible for such secondment, which should be carried out through the County Assembly Service Board’s established procedures, not through directives from the County Secretary. Oloo argued that the Assembly had qualified staff members who meet the requirements.
Oloo also accused the Assembly of non-compliance with legal provisions saying the appointment of Mr Abeka contravened the constitution and other enabling legal provisions governing county appointments. The activist called on the House to revoke the appointment of Mr Abeka.
Abeka however said he is ready to serve as the acting clerk. In his acceptance speech he said he was dedicated to serving all assembly members regardless of their political affiliation. “I am committed to preserve the dignity of the Assembly and upholding the principles of impartiality,” Abeka said.