Lamu Governor Issa Timamy on Wednesday October 16, named James Gichu as his new deputy following the death of his former deputy Raphael Munyua Ndung'u. The deputy governor seat had been vacant for over a month.
The appointment comes weeks after the death of Raphael Munyua Ndung'u who died on September 6, 2024, while receiving treatment at a hospital in Nairobi.
Governor Issa Timamy unveiled his new deputy at the County Headquarters in Mokowe Town. In effect, as required by law, he forwarded his new deputy’s name to the County Assembly for vetting and approval.
Legally, if the Deputy Governor passes away, the Office of the Deputy Governor shall be declared vacant and the governor can fill the position without a specific timeline.
After the appointment, a motion for the approval of the deputy governor must be supported by a majority of the Members of County Assembly (MCAs).
Prior to James Gichu’s appointment, he served as a County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Agriculture, Irrigation and Food Security.
His roles included overseeing all agricultural projects in Lamu County including irrigation projects as well as managing county grain stores throughout the county.
Additionally, he served as personal assistant to the former deputy governor in the aforementioned period.
He graduated from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) with an Electrical and Electronics Engineering degree.
After clearing his tertiary education, Gichu worked at Kenya Power for 6 years before joining Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) as a technical electrical engineer where he worked for 4 years.
His appointment is a major development in the governance of Lamu County. Section 32 of the County Governments Act states that the deputy governor shall deputize the governor in executing the governor’s functions, as such the appointment is a crucial decision made by a governor.
On his part, James Gichu thanked Governor Timamy for appointing him and pledged to deliver the agenda of the County on improving the lives of the people of Lamu County.
