Raila reassures administrators of job safety

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has assured Kenyans that the Provincial Administration will not be disbanded.

He said the proposed law guaranteed the job security of the administrators under almost similar working conditions, contrary to claims by opponents of the document.

The PM, however, told a “Yes” rally in Bungoma that some changes were likely to be made for the department to conform to the new order.

Urging thousands of Bungoma residents who attended the rally to endorse the new constitution at the August 4th referendum, Mr Odinga said they should be wary of the numerous falsehoods that were being peddled by the “No” campaigners about devolution.

“We must be cautious of the lies being spread by detractors because they seem to have deliberately mixed up the equity and equality clauses,” he said.

Kadhi courts

Mr Odinga said those rejecting the draft because of the inclusion of the kadhi courts were being unfair as the courts purely dealt with inheritance and marriage issues concerning Muslims.

“We only have one kadhi court in Kisumu serving Nyanza and Western provinces and I don’t understand where the conflict arises from,” he said. At least 30 MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and ministers James Orengo, Fred Gumo, Sally Kosgei and Soita Shitanda attended the rally.

Mr Odinga, who is on a two-day official tour of Western Province, announced that the board of directors of the Nzoia Sugar Company had been dissolved and directed Industrialisation minister Henry Kosgey, who was present, to effect the directive immediately.

The PM, who flew into Webuye Town earlier in the day, addressed groups of residents at the airstrip and at the Bukembe trading centre.On development matters, the PM announced government’s plan to revive the Webuye Paper mill by next month. (PMPS)