Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga (left) is sworn in by Justice Aggrey Muchelule at Siaya Stadium March 27, 2013. The High Court in Kisumu has nullified his election and ordered a fresh poll August 23, 2013. JACOB OWITI
County Assembly Speakers will take charge in cases where governors lose their seats in petitions set to be concluded next month.
The Transition Authority has issued guidelines to ensure there is no disruption in service delivery in case some governors will not be in office.
Already, Mr Cornel Rasanga has lost his seat as Siaya governor after the court nullified his election last week.
More than 20 other governors, among them Nairobi’s Evans Kidero, Mr Nderitu Gachagua (Nyeri), Mr Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and Dr Alfred Mutua (Machakos), are waiting for the courts to decide their fate next month.
Once the governors lose their seats, the deputies who were elected on the same ticket will be assumed to have vacated their positions and cannot stand in until a new person is elected.
The executive committees and personal assistants will also not be spared as they will cease to be employed if a governor loses the seat.
In a notice to the media yesterday, Transition Authority chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi noted that the county assembly Speaker will take charge as acting governor.
The Speakers will, however, remain as a figureheads because they will have no power to appoint or nominate, as that is the preserve of a substantive governor, the notice says.
Their deputies will be expected to preside over the debates at the county assembly. According to the guidelines, the election of the substantive county governor will be held within 60 days after the Speaker assumes the office.
The IEBC shall gazette a vacancy in the office of the governor and date of the by-election while the Transition Authority in collaboration with the county secretary will gazette the date, time and venue of swearing-in of the acting governor.
Chief officers will assume the duties of executive committee members while the county secretary will be responsible for securing assets in such offices until a new occupant is sworn in.
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