Tharaka Nithi county assembly has been holding its sessions in a tent in a remote market for lack of facilities and to follow the peoples’ wish. The 15 assembly members have been travelling for long distances to Athwana market after the residents decided that it should be the county headquarters. The market, to which there are no accessible roads from other areas, has no public or privately owned facilities which can be hired for use by the assembly. The assembly headed by speaker John Mbabu therefore has no alternative but to look for a tent under which they meet. Mbabu said the assembly followed the decision of the of the residents to choose the small market as the headquarter of the county. He said there are facilities which could be used either in Chuka Municipal or former Meru South County councils or Marimanti in the former Tharaka County Council. He said the assembly is constructing temporary offices and a county assembly with iron sheets pending construction of permanent buildings. He said the residents had decided that settling on the centrally located market can bring unity amongst various clans and development in the remote and marginalised area. During sessions, the assembly occasionally has its documents blown off by wind forcing them to place stones on them to secure them. The assembly uses a wooden table on which the authoritative mace is placed and a tall wooden chair for the speaker. The speaker also uses a wooden desk from which he controls the sessions of the house from Tuesday to Thursday. The assembly members use plastic chairs which have to be cleaned regularly due to dust that is blown into the tent from the hot dusty semi arid surrounding.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 11:14:41 +0000