Governors and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) are no longer allowed to display their images and names on signboards for publicly funded projects.

Senators on Tuesday, July 15, unanimously adopted a report from the Senate Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, which was handling a petition against the use of politicians’ identities in the branding of public projects.

The decision also applies to the branding of vehicles.

The petition was submitted to the Senate by Laban Omusundi, a Nakuru resident.

Omusundi told that he was disturbed by the many huge pictures of leaders on every project, which obscured the actual message that should be carried by the signboards.

"The wastage in counties is nauseating. I believe the leaders are abusing the Chapter 6 provisions on leadership and integrity,” he said.

This is not the first petition that Omusundi has filed before the Senate. He has previously successfully petitioned the Senate to restrict the nomination of MCAs to a specific county.

However, three other petitions he filed were unsuccessful.

Surprisingly, the Nakuru activist has managed to push for better governance in counties without a post-secondary education. No one helps him in drafting the petitions.

“I learnt how to draft the petitions from a case against me. I had to represent myself and luckily I won,” he said.

Omusundi completed his education at Eshisiru Secondary School in Lurambi Constituency, Kakamega County, in the late 90s.

He has been working as a local painter and interior designer for the past 10 years.

His passion for good governance, equality, and fair administrative actions has motivated some of these petitions.

“I was dismissed from three companies around 2009 because I was leading employees in demanding our rights. Unfortunately, I lost my job and had to go into self-employment,” the activist told .

He noted that he initially exploited the concept of Mutunga rules to file a petition as a pauper that enabled the waiver of court fees.

“My role model in this public petitions and litigation is Busia senator Okiya Omtatah. I have had to learn a lot in relation to legal issues through Google and other materials to better my drafting abilities, including formats of petition and its contents,” he said.

Other petitions he has presented before the Senate and which are still under consideration include one on county government outsourcing of legal services while still having county attorneys, a petition on the recall of nominated MCAs, as well as developing a legal framework for harmonising health services charges.

He has also filed a case in the High Court on the consolidation of bursaries that secured conservatory orders blocking county governments from issuing them.

Previously, reported that a man from Nakuru has appealed for help following endless hospital visits.

The man, Brian Lang'at, has had a painful journey with unanswered questions.

He was diagnosed with a pancreatic condition, and now needs KSh 1 million for treatment.

Source: TUKO.co.ke