Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua is sick. He has been in India for the past one month

The last time Nyeri county governor Nderitu Gachagua presided over a public function was during last year’s Jamhuri day celebrations at Ruringu stadium. Since then, he has been out of office due to health complications and is currently in India seeking medical care.

Nderitu Gachagua‘s absence has caused anxiety among some Nyeri county residents, raising questions on how long a governor can stay away from his work station.

While it may be business as usual at the Nyeri county assembly offices, Nderitu Gachagua‘s absence though on medical grounds raises questions on the general administration of the devolved units of the executive arm that the governor heads.

Article 179(4) of the constitution lists the governor and the deputy governor as the CEO and the deputy CEO of the county respectively. The law does not however provide for the maximum period that a governor can be away from the office unlike in parliament where a law maker is not allowed to miss more than 8 consecutive seatings.

The constitution designates the deputy governor as the principal assistant to the county boss in the absence of the governor for whatever reason.

Physical or medical incapacity is one of the ground for the removal of a governor. Other grounds include gross violation of the constitution, abuse of office or gross misconduct.

Shoud a vacancy occur in the office of the governor, the constitution mandates the deputy governor to assume office as the county boss for the remainder of the term since the governor and the deputy are elected as a pair just like the president and the deputy president.

For now, Nyeri deputy governor Samuel Wamathai Githaiga is calling the shots in the county until governor Nderitu Gachagua comes back from India where he is receiving treatment