Governors now want a legal position created at the county level whose mandate will be equivalent to the Attorney General's office in the national government.
Appearing before the Senate legal affairs committee on Thursday, Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi called for the amendments to the proposed County attorney law which states that the county attorney will be advisors to the County Executive committee.
"At the national level, we have the AG who is the legal advisor to the government. At the county level, we are yet to create a position similar to that of the AG.
"In this instance, we are calling it the office of the County Attorney. We want the Office to offer legal advice to entire county governments rather than remain as advisors to county executive committee," he told the Senators.
[caption caption="Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi "]
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The Council of Governors further wants the qualifications of the County Attorney to be reviewed downwards from seven to five years.
"A lawyer who has practised for more than seven years is a well-established lawyer whom you can't take them and put them in the office.
"The package offered at the position is not to attract a person with that level experience," the Kilifi Governor explained.
County bosses further want the county solicitor's experience reduced from five to three years as the office is junior to the County Attorney.
The county CEOs and secretaries are in agreement that the term of the Attorney should run concurrently with that of the governor. The County Attorney would, however, remain temporarily to oversee the transition from one administration to another.
Among the functions of the County Attorney stated in the bill is that the office will be the principal legal adviser to the county executive committee where he/she shall represent the county executive in court or in any other legal proceedings to which the county executive is a party, other than criminal proceedings and advise departments in the county executive on legislative and other legal matters.
The Senior attorney shall also negotiate, draft, vet and interpret documents and agreements for and on behalf of the county executive and its agencies in addition to being responsible for the revision of county laws.
Here is the video courtesy of KBC:
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