Naivasha, Kenya: The induction workshop for governors and their deputies kicked off on the wrong footing with the elected leaders walking out on the Transitional Authority yesterday.Drama unfolded at the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha where the meeting was going on as the irate leaders staged a protest.The incident occured barely an hour after President Mwai Kibaki had left the hotel after opening the high level meeting.Earlier, a group of governors tried to meet the Head of State to express their worries and their problems facing them.Later they headed into a closed door meeting with the authority chairman and his CIC colleague over the impasse.One of the governors was overheard complaining over the manner in which the authority was treating them noting that they should be accorded the respect they deserve. Confirming the impasse, Machakos County governor Alfred Mutua said that there was no way they could work without funds.He said that majority of them had been forced to use their personal vehicles and pay their drivers and security officers as there were no funds.The former government spokesman noted that despite getting assurance from treasury of getting funds, the promise was yet to be fulfilled.FlagsOn the issue of the National flag, the governors in unison said that they would ignore the directive from the AG and fly the flag on their vehicles.“We shall not be cowed by the directive and we wonder why judges and ambassadors have not been arrested for flouting this new law,” he said.Earlier while opening the workshop, Kibaki had warned the governors from bickering over petty issues and instead embark on serving their counties to which they were elected to serve.Kibaki said the public had high expectation on the newly elected leaders adding that they should begin the journey of transforming their regions without delay.He called on all Kenyans to render the necessary support to newly elected leaders as one way of creating employment and economic growth.“You have a limited time to serve the people and you should not let the trappings of power overwhelm you,” said Kibaki. On his part Finance Minister Njeru Githae urged the governors to help reduce poverty on a sustainable basis.
