Kenya: Engineer under fire
Posted by African Press International on March 10, 2008
<From Jeff Otieno, Kisumu-KenyaAgroup of trade unionists, residents and other stake holders are now demanding for the sacking or transfer of the long serving Kisumu city Engineer Lawrence Otieno Airo.
In a terse press statement to this journalist the group took issue with the engineer for being insensitive to issues bordering lives of the residents.
They singled outa faultysewer line atthe refurbished fish market at the bus park where the traders have to brave the smell as they sell to the customers.
“This situation started last year despite our persistent pleas to the engineer that it should be repaired.,”said Mrs.Awino a local fish monger.
The group further took issue with the chief officer for exhibiting complecency and arrogance to repair council vehicles.They alleged that some vehicles like the ambulance and the garbage trucks are being repaired by crony mechanics with questionable credentials at whopping costs and interestingly they stall after a few days,thus paralysing the smooth operations of various council key departments.
The repair costs of one vehicle within a period of six months can even buy a brandnew car they alleged.Investigations by this journalist reveals thatthe embattled engineer was transfered early this yearto Vihiga District but he revoked it on circumstances said to be dubious.
Its imperative and interesting to note that early last year his transfer was again revoked after the intervention of the current town clerk Mr.Rashid Mwakiwiwi who wrote to the ministry Permanent Secretary giving him a clean bill of health.
“The newly elected Mayor Mr.Sam Onyango Okelo’s recent vow to restore the cleanliness of the city totally hungs in balance if the kind of insensibility being exhibited by senior Chief officers like Engineer Airo is anything to go by,”they concluded.
Okello recently promised the town residents that he will ensure that the city’s lost glory interms of cleanliness and investor confidence is achieved.
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