The forty-five governors-elect are set to take the oath of office on Thursday, August 24, to form new county administrative units.
Moreover only 45 out of the total 47 counties will carry out this exercise as Kakamega and Mombasa counties gubernatorial elections were postponed.
During the inauguration ceremony, the governors are for the first time expected to take an integrity oath alongside the oath of office.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has developed a code of integrity to be administered to all governors.
Likewise EACC has deployed its officers across the country to witness the exercise.
Likewise, the integrity code is meant to bind the governor-elect to uphold high standards of integrity and stop rampant corruption that has dogged county governments.
The Assumption of Office of Governor Act stipulates that “The County Governor-elect shall be sworn-in on the first Thursday after the tenth day following the declaration of the final results of the election of the County Governor by the Commission.”
Also Read: Governors-Elect Gazetted, Paving Way For Swearing In
In addition, the he swearing-in of the County Governors-elect shall be conducted in a public ceremony before a High Court Judge.
Similarly, the Assumption of Office of Governor Act also states that the Governor-elect shall take oath of office and sign a certificate of inauguration not earlier than 10:00 am and not later than 2:00 pm.
Furthermore, after signing the certificate of inauguration, the outgoing County Governors are expected to hand over to the County Governors-elect the county flag, county coat of arms, the Constitution and county public seal as a sign of transfer of executive power and authority.
However, such does not apply where; the outgoing governor is not present during the inauguration or the incumbent is re-elected into office.
Section 13(4) of the Assumption of Office of Governor Act stipulates that: “Failure by the outgoing County Governor to handover the instruments of power to the County Governor-elect shall not invalidate the assumption to the office of County Governor by the County Governor-elect.”
Nonetheless, 11 governors have been re-elected to serve their second term, 26 counties have elected new county bosses while 8 governors have made a comeback after being kicked out in the last elections.
