West Pokot Deputy Governor Dr Nicholas Atudonyang will work without a salary, Governor John Lonyangapuo stated.
Addressing a press conference at his offices Lonyangapuo stated that his Deputy had also stepped down as CEC for Health and Sanitation.
Governor Lonyangapuo stated that Geoffrey Lipale would replace the county second-in-command as CEC for Health and Sanitation.
The change comes after Governor Lonyangapuo was last week grilled by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on claims that Dr Atudonyang works full time in the United States yet continues to earn a salary as West Pokot deputy governor.
EACC alleged that Dr Atudonyang, who was a neurosurgeon in the US, has remained salaried without rendering any services.
“He (deputy governor) does not depend on the salary. Those who have been making noise about the misuse of funds should stop it,” Prof. Lonyangapuo stated.
“We need motivation and new momentum for results to be realized. My CECs and Chief Officers have been competent and I am proud of them,” he added.
In his address to the press after the grilling, he denied claims that he was arrested by the EACC sleuths and accused his political opponents of plotting his downfall.
“I appeared here to answer questions on the whereabouts of my deputy governor after a group of people in West Pokot, particularly in Makutano wrote a letter to the EACC claiming he was given permission to go for a long time," the West Pokot governor stated.
"There were claims that his air tickets were paid for and that he was given per diem to fly from city to city in the US, earn a salary and all that. I have cleared all that," he added.
Governor Lonyangapuo maintained that Dr Atudonyang left the country in March and was to return in May adding that as the county chief, he deemed it fit to extend the deputy governor's stay in the US owing to the activities he had been undertaking.
“Because he was a professional working in the US before as a neurosurgeon, we wanted him to assist West Pokot and Kenya through the contacts and agencies that support medical care as we need equipment from them," he explained.
