Nairobi governor Mike Sonko. [Photo/The Star]The elections are done and dusted as inauguration ceremonies take center stage in all the 47 counties.
At least 26 new governors are being ushered into the office for the very first time to manage county resources.
However, the responsibility that the like of Sonko, Laboso, Waiguru, Ngilu, Nyong'o and other many newbie governors are set to face is not a walk in the park.
There is a mountain of issues awaiting the new governors in the form of huge pending bills and debts amounting to billions of shillings, delay in release of county funds by the national government, and a bloated workforce.
“We have been reporting on these pending bills in the counties and it could be an avenue of fraudulent activities because some are not genuine. We don’t understand how governors have ended up with the huge bills,” said Agnes Odhiambo, the Controller of Budget Agnes when she spoke to the National Assembly Finance Committee December last year.
The new governors include Mike Sonko (Nairobi), Dhadho Ghodana (Tana River), Wycliffe Wangamati (Bungoma), Wilber Ottichillo (Vihiga), Anyang' Nyong'o (Kisumu), Joyce Laboso (Bomet), Charity Ngilu (Kitui), Lee Kinyanjui (Nakuru), John Lonyangapuo (West Pokot), Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga) and Ferdinand Waititu (Kiambu).
Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi), Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua), Granton Samboja (Taita Taveta), Kiraitu Murungi (Meru), Mohamud Ali (Marsabit), Stephen Sang (Nandi), Mohamud Abdi (Wajir), Wahome Gakuru (Nyeri), Nderitu Mureithi (Laikipia), Joseph Ole Lenku (Kajiado), Mohamed Kuti (Isiolo), Fahim Twaha (Lamu), Bunow Korane (Garissa), Stanley Kiptis (Baringo) and Moses Lenolkulal (Samburu).
For instance, Nairobi county debt stands at Sh5 billion, while Kisumu's stands at Sh3.26 billion.