When governor Joseph ole Lenku singled out Ildamat Ward MCA, Samuel Teum, recently as a focused and hardworking politician, many friends and foe turned their heads.
Lenku was speaking during the launch of a joint venture between the county government and Kenya Commercial Foundation to provide scholarships to 1, 000 youth in vocational training colleges.
What appeared to have impressed the governor was the fact that Teum chose to skip a national forum for MCAs in Mombasa and accompany him to the launch.
“We have not been close friends with honourable Teum, and once in while we have been clashing on issues of leadership. Today, I am happy that he chose to skip a function in Mombasa to be here with us today,” said Lenku.
In his response, Teum congratulated Lenku for the good work he has done to the people of Kajiado.
“We have never seen such a thing in the history of devolution in Kajiado. Your Excellency, this launch you have done in conjunction with KCB has given you added votes in 2022. You do not need to campaign any more but to ensure this brainchild of yours works satisfactorily, “said Teum.
Teum later had an impromptu interview with KNU where he expressed happiness that the governor recognised him and his work during the event at Masai Technical Training Institute.
He revealed he had been having quarrels once in a while with the governor over politics and governance in the county.
“It has never been personal at all. I recognise him as our governor but at the same time, I have to play my role as opposition MCA. We have to play our role of oversight, and to provide checks and balances on the executive,” said Teum.
Asked to comment on the recent coup de dat at the county assembly where he was kicked out of the seat of Minority Leader, Teum brushed aside the question, and said that those who did that are his friends.
During an earlier interview with Oloosirkon/Sholinke Ward MCA, Francis Kaesha, he accused Teum of indecency in the way he dresses and keeping unkempt hair while in the assembly.
“This is a house of honourable members, and Teum has been attending sessions while indecently dressed. This is one of the reasons we decided to strip him of his powers in the assembly.
But Teum defended himself saying his hair has natural curls like those of the cushite people. Cushite people have a distinct feature like relatively softer hair.
“When I comps my hair at home and by the time I reach the assembly, they are like I have just washed them. This is natural me, and that cannot make people to single me out as a rogue,” said Teum.
Teum also said that as a former cop, he was used to wearing clothes casually.
“I am a former criminal investigation department officer in the police force, and I have not been used to putting on suits. There is no session I have attended without a suit as claimed by my detractors,” he said.
The Orange Democratic Movement Party MCA says 95 per cent of MCAs in the assembly work closely with him. “Even Kaesha is a friend of mine,” he added.
He said that he has never displayed arrogance in the county assembly and abides by the House Standing Orders.
Earlier at MTTI Lenku said a huge skills gap exists in the economy towards the achievement of Vision 2030.
The governor said school leaving youth must be mentored and trained to take vocational training as this was the next big thing in creation of job opportunities and self-employment.
Lenku said the youth were finding it difficult to land jobs as they had missed on “exactly what the market was looking for”.
“Corporate organizations in Kajiado are actually having opportunities but there are no takers. This programme will fill the skilled manpower being experienced in both private and state institutions,” said the governor
He added that the
shortage of skills to drive the emerging industrial and manufacturing sector was real.
“Those who will have these skills will definitely play a critical role in realization of Vision 2030,” said the governor.
Lenku said 1,000 youth will benefit from the county’s Sh100 million-kitty for scholarships to train in vocational training that has been jointly funded by KCB Foundation.
Youth from the county’s 25 wards will be trained at the MTTI in Kajiado town till November, 2018, after which they will be offered internship at various corporate organizations within the county.
Youth CEC Alvin Kimani said the youth will be mentored and offered job placements while those interested in business will be given loans.
“We are creating two types of jobs; for employment in the corporate world and for self-employment. We have a kitty for youth loans and those trained in this programne will be given a priority, “said Kimani.
