Malala Vows to Give Kakamega Deputy Governor Full Executive Powers If Elected

Deputy Party Leader of the Democratic Congress Party (DCP), Cleophas Malala, has pledged to give his deputy governor significant executive authority if elected as the next Governor of Kakamega County.

Malala said the challenges facing Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa’s deputy, Ayub Savula, should serve as a lesson on the need to respect and empower holders of the Deputy Governor’s office.

He argued that Section 32 of the County Governments Act establishes the office of the Deputy Governor as an executive assistant to the Governor, saying deputy governors should therefore be accorded the authority and respect that comes with the position.

“My friend Savula's tribulations are a perfect replica of the humiliation and disrespect my Party Leader, Rigathi Gachagua, went through under William Ruto,” Malala said.

Malala, who is positioning himself for the Kakamega governorship, said his administration would take a different approach to the management of the county executive.

“When I am Kakamega Governor, I will never mistreat my Deputy Governor and he/she will have full executive authority with a whole ministry or two to supervise,” he said.

He insisted that deputy governors should not merely serve as ceremonial figures within county governments, but should be given clearly defined responsibilities and adequate authority to discharge their constitutional mandate.

“DGs have rights too,” Malala added.

His remarks come amid renewed political attention on the relationship between governors and their deputies, with questions over the extent of executive authority and responsibilities assigned to deputy governors continuing to feature in Kenya’s county governance debate.