Nairobi governor Evans Kidero speaks during the 2017 Labour Day Celebrations at Uhuru Park in Nairobi. He has rejected a Bill seeking to establish the office of a county attorney. [PHOTO/nation.co.ke]
Nairobi governor Evans Kidero has rejected a Bill that seeks to establish the office of a county attorney for the city.
The Nairobi City County Office of the County Attorney Bill, 2016, was passed by the assembly November last year and sought to establish the attorney office to advise the county government as well as represent it in legal matters.
However, instead of assenting to it, Kidero referred the Bill back to the Assembly for reconsideration and more amendments through a memorandum of refusal.
The standoff between the executive and the assembly concerning appointment of Gad Owuonda to hold the office led Kidero to rejecting it.
In the Bill, the appointment of the county attorney will be done by the governor and be approved by the county assembly.
However, Kidero rejected it on grounds that the provision failed to give space for competition and appointment on merit and termed it unconstitutional.
“I recommend that the proposed law provides a competitive recruitment process and appointment,” he said.