By MN Reporter
Three leaders from Kuria region have moved to sue Migori county government and governor Okoth Obado to stall a Sh516million World Bank.
Samson Getobai Maroa, former county executive Thomas Maneno Mwikwabe and Maswage Chrys Chacha are the first, second and third respondent respectively in the petition filed at Migori High Court.
They seek to halt the Sh28billion World Bank Kenya Urban Support Programme and was done across all 48 counties.
A total of eight respondents have been sued including Migori county government, assembly, governor Okoth Obado, Cabinet Secretary for Finance Henry Rotich and his counterpart for lands Farida Karoneyamong others.
The World Bank has been included as an interested party.
The three seek for respondents to be “restrained from implementation of any tenders or projects under the KUSP in the county of Migori.”
“The Kuria region has the right to demand that one of its municipalities to benefit from this grant. It is wrong for the money be taken to Migori, Awendo and Rongo, all on the Luo side. This does not auger well with the spirit of fostering peaceful coexistence of all the communities in Migori County,” said Chacha Mwita.
Migori High court judge Justice Anthony Murima directed all parties to be served with copies of the petition within seven days to enable the case to begin.
Nyabasi East MCA Mwita Motangi, termed the move to allocate the money to the three towns a disgrace to Kuria region.
“This is a disgrace to Kuria people. Migori is one with all the tribes counted, as an MCA who comes from Kuria, I think the the governor in Migori should consider fairness and distribute resources equitably,” he said.
Spealer Boaz Okoth defended the assembly’s decision.
“This is a process that we should all embrace. If some donor comes today and says he wants to do a billion project in Kuria, I should be happy as the speaker of the county assembly. I should not tell them not to do it in Kuria and do it in North Kadem or anywhere else. That is still our county,” Okoth said.
Let the speaker comprehend the matter at hand first before commenting. There is a big difference between a Grant and a Donation. One is repayable while the other a free gift. Why does he want the Kuria part in repaying a loan/grant they did not benefit in.
The Migori tender issues being given to one family is still fresh in our mind and the Anti Corruption case is still going on and further investigations are being conducted. Migori county still finds it fit to use the World Bank Money in one luo region in total disregard to the other kuria part? How were the regions selected and who did it? Governor, kindly lead from the front and apply equitability principle.