Vihiga Governor Withholds Deputy's Salary, Removes Him From WhatsApp Group

Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo pictured at a Council of Governors (CoG) meeting at Mövenpick Hotel, Nairobi on January 20, 2020
Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo pictured at a Council of Governors (CoG) meeting at Mövenpick Hotel, Nairobi on January 20, 2020
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke

Vihiga County Governor, Wilberforce Otichilo and his deputy Patrick Saisi are locked in a nasty leadership wrangle barely two months after Raila attempted to reconcile them. 

Speaking yesterday, September 16, Saisi mentioned that he and his boss have not been in good terms since last year despite efforts by close associates to reconcile them. 

The deputy governor says that the leadership wrangles were worsened by his boss, who has been accusing him of leaking out important information discussed by the executive arm of the county government. 

Saisi claims that the relationship is so bad that his boss has withheld his July and August salaries without clear explanations.

Vihiga deputy governor Patrick Saisi speaking on his fallout with his boss.
Vihiga deputy governor Patrick Saisi speaking on his fallout with his boss.
Kahawatungu

Speaking to a local media house in a phone interview, the deputy county boss mentioned that last week, all county government workers received their salary apart from him. 

“I checked my account balance on Monday and it was not credited. I am still waiting but I think this is a plot to frustrate me, and this is barbaric,” Saisi remarked. 

Saisi said he does not receive any communication or correspondences from the county government communication channels, which makes him feel unrecognized and unwanted as a deputy.

However, the County Director of Communication, Victor Wetende, denied all these accusations, insisting that Saisi is always copied in the communications and that he has not been blocked on emails as he claims. 

Wetende mentioned that no money has been withheld from Saisi, and that his pay is upto date, even as Saisi argues to the contrary. 

“Why should his salary be withheld? I have checked with finance and records show he has been paid for two months he claims not to have received his salary,” Watenge noted. 

He further explained that Saisi was removed from the executive WhatsApp group to ensure there’s free flow of county government communication. 

“Anything otherwise is malicious and frivolous. Thank you.” Watende concluded. 

Raila reconciles Governor Otichilo and His Deputy Saisi.
Raila reconciles Governor Otichilo and His Deputy Saisi.
vipasho.co.ke