Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok has nominated the County Assembly Speaker Shadrack Rotich as his deputy.
In a letter seen by Kahawa Tungu dated November 12, Barchok forwarded Rotchi’s name to the County Assembly to be vetted for the position of Deputy Governor.
Barchok, a former lecturer at Egerton University, who also served as Bomet DG, was sworn in on August 8 as the third governor of Bomet following the death of governor Joyce Laboso.
Laboso succumbed to cancer at the Nairobi Hospital on July 29.
Calls for a female Deputy Governor
In the appointment, Governor Barchok has ignored calls from the political class to appoint a female DG.
Read: Sacked Bomet CECs Move To Court To Challenge County Assembly Decision
Women leaders, including Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru and her Kitui counterpart Charity Ngilu, had appealed to Barchok to nominate a female DG in honour of the late Governor. The two were close friends of Laboso.
During Laboso’s burial, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga also echoed the two governors’ request saying it “should be automatic” that the governor should appoint a female DG.
“I thought that is taken for granted. That is not an issue really. Because a woman was a governor and a man was her deputy, now when the woman governor has left the position, it is automatic that a woman would become a deputy governor. I don’t think that should be an issue, ” said Raila.
Other leaders were rooting for Laboso’s relatives for the position but the Tuesday appointment clearly came as a shocker.
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