Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has been ranked the eighth-best performing governor and the top in Mt Kenya region with 62.6 percent despite a disturbing court case and heightened political temperatures in the county.
According to the research released yesterday by polling firm Infotrak, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya is the best out of the 47 governors with an approval rating of 82.3 percent.
Njuki has been ranked as the third-best performing governor amongst the first-term county chiefs.
In the Mount Kenya region, Governor Njuki has been followed by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga (56.5%) and Murangá’s Mwangi Wa Iria (55.5%).
Governor Njuki’s performance is an improvement from 12th position in the 2019/2020 previous ranking of 49.8 percent.
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi immediately after the release that placed number 38 out of the 47 dismissed the report as a sham.
Mr Kiraitu who was addressing the public during a cheque handover event to self-help groups in Meru, asked the anti-corruption bodies to investigate not only the public institutions but also the private organizations.
He claimed that a few days before the release, the research company ‘approached us to pay Sh3M to secure the best performing governor position’.
“Less than three months after the Kenya National Bureau of statistics ranked Meru as one of the richest counties, Infotrak has now released a report ranking me number 38 out of 47 in order of performance. Before the report was released, they had approached us to pay Sh3M to secure the best performing governor slot.” Murungi claimed.
Infotrak chief executive officer Angela Ambitho said during the release press briefing that the County Trak survey is based on a survey of 37,600 and was done between September and December 2019.
“The highest sample size was Nairobi at 2,000 people and the lowest was West Pokot where only 600 residents were surveyed,” Ms Ambito said while releasing the report.
She said that the respondents in all counties were asked this question: Could you please tell me how you would rate the overall performance of your Governor since August 2017 on a scale of 1 – 10.
Governor Njuki has received applaud and criticism in equal measures with those praising him claiming that he could have topped if it was not for the court case and early campaigns in the county.
They claimed that Njuki had transformed the county and that given ample working environment, he would emerge the best performing governor in the country.
“Emerging the eighth best performing governor out of 47 amid a disturbing court case and disorienting early campaign is really marvelous,” said Mr John Kimathi a Chogoria resident.
Chuka University VC Prof Erastus Njoka, Director General National Museums of Kenya Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia, Senator Prof Kithure Kindiki and Machakos County Assembly Clerk Gitari Mbiuki have already expressed interest to unseat Njuki in 2022.
