Embattled Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja now wants Deputy President William Ruto to concentrate on solving land grabbing issues in coastal region.
In what could be a brewing fallout between the duo, Mr Samboja on Monday said Dr Ruto would be welcome to solve several land grabbing cases instead rushing to budget stalemate.
Taita Taveta is one of the counties with many squatters in the country. Despite residents crying foul of alleged land grabbing, the government has done little to solve the matter.
Accusing the DP of “belittling the county leadership”, Mr Samboja told Dr Ruto to concentrate on solving pressing matters like land grabbing and the persistent squatter challenges within Taita, “as he doesn’t have a good understanding of the budget impasse.”
“We don’t need his counsel and that is why even when I said we should dissolve the county assembly, I reached out to every other national leader but him. The petition will not land at his desk, so he cannot purport to speak on behalf of the presidency,” Mr Samboja charged.
DP Ruto who spoke at the Bughuta grounds in Voi on Sunday said that the call to dissolve the county government makes no sense.
He also asked the leaders from Taita Taveta not to disturb the President when they are in a position to resolve the same on their own.
“We cannot dissolve the county government because of differences between leaders. That is nonsense,” Ruto said.
Last month, Samboja held meetings with Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta over budget stalemate. He vowed to run on ODM ticket to defend his seat should Uhuru dissolve the county.
The Wiper governor had earlier shown signs of working with Deputy President William Ruto. His latest move resonates with coastal governors who have since dumped the DP.
On the contrary, Dr Ruto is also facing several cases pertaining land, with KCAA demanding to have Weston Hotel land repossessed. Ruto had admitted that he purchased the land without knowing that it had issues.