"I was fired for attending the Solai meeting,” ICT Chief Charles Koech says

Nakuru County Chief Officer for ICT, Education and Public Communications, Charles Koech, has been sacked for allegedly attending the controversial Solai meeting.
During a phone call interview, Charles Koech confirmed receiving communication on his termination of February 10.
“Yes, it is true that I was relieved from my post, and I got to know of this late today in the afternoon,” he says.
Mr Koech further explains that his dismissal has to do with the meeting he attended in Solai on January 30 which was chaired by Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot.
“I think the reason why I was fired was because I attended the meeting that was held in Rongai on January 30 that was graced by the Senator Cheruiyot,” he says.
He reveals that the reason for this is because he did not have the blessing of the leadership to attend the meeting in question.
“There are meetings that require the blessing of the Governor; however, this was not such a forum. It was a meeting that was organized to discuss issues of the community and their expectations going forward,” he says.
He reiterates that the meeting was not political in any way, and neither was it undermining the devolved unit.
“Nakuru is cosmopolitan, and people from the different communities found in the county have always met to discuss their issues,” he says.
Mr Koech had previously served as the Chief Officer in the Public Service Management docket for two and a half years until he was transferred to the Education docket.
He reveals to us that the transfer to this docket was also caused by some underlying issues.
“It was during the time when Lee Kinyanjui was being appointed to the position of Cabinet Secretary for Trade. After his appointment, there was need to do something that we normally call transfer of data.
“Just as it is accustomed in any organization, once someone leaves, they are issued with a clearance form that must be signed before they are let go. This was the case for the former Governor, and as the Chief Officer, I am obligated to sign the clearance form and have the data taken to Nairobi, together with the last paid certificate, so that he could start getting paid in Nairobi,” he says.
Mr Koech says that he followed due process; however, this did not sit well with those in the current regime.
“I did my job and cleared him just as I would any other employee who works for the County Government; however, there were those who started accusing me of being a mole and working for the former Governor, Lee Kinyanjui, a man whom I have never interacted with in my entire life,” he says.
He says that this was the reason he thinks he was removed from that docket and transferred to the Education docket.
He concludes by saying that at the moment he is consulting on what actions to take going forward.   

Nakuru County Secretary Samuel Mwaura did not respond to our calls and messages when reached out for clarification on the claims by the time of publishing the story..