A war is brewing in Elgeyo Marakwet County between the County Chief and his Senator.
Governor Alex Tolgos and Senator Kipchumba Murkomen are headed for a bitter excahnge over financial crisis in the county.
The Governor believes that he is the right man to steer the County going foward but his senator, Kipchumba Murkomen thinks otherwise.
The senator accuses the county boss of lacking ideas and strategies to run the County.
The county has suspended some operations due to lack of money.
On his part, Tolgos blames the financial woes on underfunding by the National Treasury.
He says the formula used by the Commission on Revenue Allocation to disburse funds to counties is discriminatory and has led to shortages in counties like Elgeyo Marakwet, Tharaka-Nithi and Isiolo.
“We have been following up on this matter so that the formula is reviewed, without success. If it persists to 2022 we will have this county dissolved and returned to the national government,” the governor said two weeks ago.
He said residents deserve development but the money received is too little and mostly covers recurrent expenditure.
But Murkomen said the county boss was not telling the truth about the state of the county.
“The problem in Elgeyo Marakwet is not lack of money or resources but lack of leadership that can manage the county well for the benefit of residents,” he said.
The governor dismissed Murkomen as a person who resides in Nairobi and ignorant of what ails the county. “Murkomen has never attended any public participation meeting and does not understand the county,” Tolgos said.
Some county leaders have accused Murkomen of venting his frustrations on the county government without understanding his own role.
“We are happy that he is coming back to the county to serve residents but he should come with decorum and seek to understand his own county,” politician Micah Kigen said.
He said Murkomen has concentrated his activities on the so-called Tanga tanga team and forgotten his role as senator.
Kigen said now that Tanga tanga activities have been halted the senator should not vent his frustrations on the county government.