By The Anchor Writer
Governor Wavinya Ndeti has appointed Medical Services Chief Officer Justus Kasivu to act as Health Minister. Mr Kasivu will temporarily replace Dr. Daniel Yumbya who quit office three weeks ago.
Mr Kasivu
appointment comes as Kathiani Sub County watches with abated breath to see who will take positions previously held by area residents or who will be next to exit.
Wavinya has purged her Chief of Staff Lawrence Ngovi, and former Lands Minister Philip Kilonzo within 23 months. Though Kilonzo hails from Mavoko, there is a tendency to view the sub county as part of Kathiani the Constituency from which it was hived off.
She has put on perennial suspension Chief Officer Maureen Mwende and pressured Yumbya to resignation three weeks ago. The first minister to quit her government was Sky Muasya. They all come from Kathiani and their replacements come from elsewhere.
That most of those who have left come from the same area, it has left tongues wagging over the governor's possible beef with Kathiani.
Kasivu will combine this role with that of CO, a manifestation of the confidence the governor has in him to run the two offices simultaneously as she mulls over the person to succeed Dr Yumbya.
Kasivu flexed his new muscle last weekend when he signed a letter to all senior staff who include Directors, Medical Superintendents and Sub County Medical Officers of Health(MOHs) where he warned all staff to cease operating pharmacies while still in service of the government.
'"All county employees within the Department of Health are therefore directed to cease operation of Pharmacy outlets while engaged in active employment with the County Government of Machakos," Mr. Kasivu said.
The Acting Minister raised concern that several departmental workers had opened pharmacies, whose operations were presenting a conflict of interest. It is believed that such staff are the cause of wanton theft of medicines procured by public hospitals that find their way in the outlets.
