Residents from different sub-counties that form the larger Nakuru County have commended Governor Kinuthia Mbugua’s directive of having all county operations offered at the sub-county level saying it gives them a chance to audit all projects being undertaken in their areas.
A majority who spoke to this writer noted that the open door policy being adopted by the governor was prove enough that accountability was key in all departments.
This, they said, was a move in the right direction especially after recent swoops by officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in residential houses of some senior county government officers.
“I think the governor is trying to break from the norm where a lot of misappropriations have marred budgetary allocations at the sub-county level, with huge sums of taxpayers money ending up in individual accounts with nobody making a follow up,” said Kimani Njeru, a resident from Shabab.
In his view, such a move is long overdue especially at a period when the country was still adopting to a new system of government where resources were to be channelled to the grassroots.
“What will be the essence of a devolved system of governance if all activities are still being protracted at the headquarters?” he posed.
While announcing the new development two weeks ago, the county bosssaid the move was aimed at evaluating his government as he strategises on how best to fulfill all his campaign pledges.
“The going has been tough and challenging but we have bravely matched on and made substantial gains, from February, all our services will be offered at the Sub County level starting from myself to all other departments,” he said.
He further noted that the benchmarking forums will ensure that the county achieves its 80 per cent equitable distribution of resources in all the wards.
The programme officially begun Tuesday in Kuresoi South and the county government is expected to set up temporal offices in the area for two days.