FEATURE STORY
By TCD EDITION.
We take you through the history of Kitui Council, the first County Government, the untold rich history, and the engine behind the establishment of Kitui county assembly Magnificent Chambers, let’s walk together.
SO WHO IS STEPHEN KITHEKA.
Born in 1975, raised at Kyeni village, Kauma location, Matinyani Ward, Kitui West Sub County, Kitui County. The son of former councilor and pioneer of Kalundu market Peter Kitheka Kwanda.
Went to school at Kyeni Primary up to 1990 then Kauma Secondary School up to 1994, ventured into business at Kyeni area up to 2000 as well as pursuing further studies during weekends.
Married to Petronilla Stephen with four children, was employed by defunct kitui municipal council year 2000 as committee clerk where he was in charge of taking minutes at municipal chambers.
His first assignment was to supervise the the construction of Municipal chamber which was renovated by the current assembly under the cost of mwananchi money only the front view was renovated.
He was Instrumental during the establishment of Kitui County assembly chambers, where he earned respect and trust both by county workers and the public of Kitui county.
HOW MAGNIFICENT COUNTY ASSEMBLY WAS ESTABLISHED.
The facelifts were done with more than 300 Million which could have done more work to citizens of Kitui county and his wish to move chamber from town and be constructed either at kyanika or syongila was frustrated by assembly cartels.
Mr. Kitheka wanted the assembly to be moved out of kitui town so as to extend the town he still believes there is still time to do this if the county assembly will know they serving mwanchi.
Back again, Mr. Kitheka supervised the construction of the current chamber under the leadership of former mayor kivala nzuki and the clerk mogere, – to prove his leadership qualities the current chamber was completed.
UNION ELECTION.
Kwanda intends to serve Kenya by April this year as assistant general secretary of Kenya under COTU.
He was promoted to head the revenue collection in the whole municipal and to prove his records again the revenue was increased five times with in a month where by even today record has not surpassed.
In the year 2002 workers elected him as their vice-chairman of Kenya local workers union because of his abrasiveness in matters leadership.
held the position until the year 2013 where county Government was established, and they noticed he was a challenge to them and decided to deal with him as a person but God is good they never made it instead he was promoted to the next level by workers.
According to Stephen Kwanda, The last regime messed kitui county big because all the assets of Kitui county were lost, – all four clerks and treasurers were chased away like thieves and they did not hand over any documents as they were custodian of four defunct local authorities.
Speaking to the COUNTY DIARY EDITOR, Kwanda revealed that all workers of the municipal council were chased away and files burned, he added that the deputy clerk who used to be municipal clerk was chased from her office and all files burned in Infront of her.
UNION DISBANDED
The controversy arose and government officials then disbanded the union of workers and all workers of assembly, The Move saw Kwanda transferred to mwingi region as revenue collector at mwingi county council so that the union will not be heard again.
“The work started well and within a month the revenue raised five times and thanks to Mr mwaniki as the acting chief officer finance 2013 now director for trade who saw my leadership abilities and promoted him to head the large mwingi as revenue Department” he observed.
He was received in Mwingi by Mr mutukaa who helped him with interacting with residents of mwingi and familiarisation, within a month revenue raised ten times by opening all the barriers within mwingi to payment of cess where traders used to pay tana river county and the goods were from kitui county.
Thanks to madam grace muimi then a chief officer of finance who also was not left behind to saw leadership investment in him and promoted him as the revenue officer to lead the whole county.
KITUI WORKERS ELECTION.
In 2016 Election for workers was announced and he vied for Chairperson and workers were not left behind by saying yes he can and elected unopposed as the chair up-to-date.
Thanks to the former regime which was headed by Dr. Julius Malombe, they transferred him to all eight sub-counties in the name of finishing him but that move meant workers to know him better and the potential in him, he becomes darling to them.
According to Stephen Kwanda, “Former Governor was a good leader but bad listener in fact he never stepped in kitui town after he was elected despite being the headquarter.
The former Boss was surrounded by bad Chief Officers and COUNTY Executive Members who believed they were small god’s on the planet, Kwanda observed.
KWANDA LOCKS HORS WITH MALOMBE.
He petitioned the Former Boss Dr. Malombe to listen to County government workers, and stop being Misled by executive members, he dismissed us, and called us Andu Ma kanzu ni Ndia, according to Kwanda that was the end of Dr malombe’s Reign as the Governor.
“Three-quarters of workers started seeing the Governor Malombe as their Enemy that the main reason Balombe failed while in power” he added.
NGILU ELECTED.
The current governor Charity who happened to work with late mayor Martha mwangangi – His mentor and my father kitheka kwanda as deputy mayor knew the experience of leadership skills in him and called late mayor mwangangi at her home and they struck a deal to move kitui county forward thanks our plans went as planned. He added.
After the former regime was defeated they hatched a coup d’etat against Governor Ngilu so that she may not deliver, but Kwanda assured the Governor she will overcome.
The impeachment motion of Governor Ngilu was mooted by wiper MCAs, Mr. kwanda was instrumental in the collapse of the impeachment motion of kitui Governor.
Kwanda agreed to will help Governor Ngilu her as we agreed earlier to honor our late mayor Madam Martha Mwangangi.
ASSEMBLY STAGED WAR.
The Assembly of Kitui county staged war against political parties in the pretense of MCA’s fighting each one but ironically it was a game of eating county resources – no opposition in kitui county assembly, Kwanda observed.
But sharp guys who fight each other to survive out of 1billion budget no single seed for mwananchi – but the money was eaten by threatening speaker and clerk if they deny this let public audit assembly money in fact it’s a shame. He added.
“I can prove this let them dare call me I will inform the public”, Kwanda warned.
After that, I approached the Governor and I informed her of my findings and because she knows my stand we agreed on a deal for operations help kitui county because I couldn’t let my workers stay without salary in any single day with the salary in future because of party wranglers its pretense.
Kwanda Lauds Assembly for agreeing to work for Kitui People.
Thanks to the County assembly of late you are doing your duties well – Remember CPSB is our target now, we agreed few weeks during the strike period in September 2020.
THE IMPENDING WORKERS ELECTION ON 27th, MARCH 2021.
The Incoming election of the workers union Stephen Kitheka Kwanda is poised to be re-elected on 27 March and April 2021, he will also be vying for assistant general secretary to Atwoli.
Ends__________________________