Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
The election battles for the coveted position of Kisumu County governance appear to have attracted what one local pundit had termed as some of the “ best brains in the region.”
Among the candidates who have already declared their intention to contest this highly lucrative position included academic luminaries, business magnates, entrepreneurs and seasoned politicians as well as the most highly experienced administrator’s per-excellence
However, one of the leading aspirants has come out in the open and issued a challenge to his opponents to discard what he described as “the retrogressive clans and tribalism politics.
Peter Hongo a senior marketing -guru with the Mumias Sugar Company said everyone should be eligible and free to contest any elective position so long as he or she is a Kenyan citizen irrespective of his birthplace or places of originality.
All the aspirants must preach the gospel of peace and love and articulate to the electorate their party and individual policies in regards to service delivery to the voters..
“it is very essential that the candidates must exhibit the politics of maturity and preach only for peace and tranquility which is devoid of acts of violence and political thuggery.” said Hongo.
Hongo who hails fro Kisumo East Location in Kisumu Town West constituency within Kisumu County for along time has been the marketing manager of the Mumias Sugar Company, and the man behind the company’s sales success story during the genius managerial prowess during the reign of the former Managing Director Dr. Evans Otieno Kidero who has sine retired from the company services and is now aspiring to become the first City governor of Nairobi under the new constitutional dispensation arrangement.
The soft-spoken and stoutly built Hongo says he had all what it takes to be the County governor in Kisumu region and that if elected to the position he would use hi wealth of experience
One of his worthy opponent is equally an experienced manager. He is Ojawng’ K’ombudo former long serving Kisumu Town Clerk, who had switched to politics and was made the Regional Development Minister under the KANU last regime of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi. K’ombudo who is a very successful businessman in Kisumu Tow had served as a two terms MP for Nyakach constituency.
The same position ha attracted a former senior accountant with the Kenya Revenue Authority {KRA] Jack Ranguma who at time was the joint official receiver manager for Miwani and Muhoroni sugar companies. He hails from West Kano in Nyando district.
Also reported to be in the race is a senior lecturer in one of the US based universities Dr Barrack Abonyo, who is a close friend of the Prime Minster Raila Odinga.Abonyo also hails fro Kano plains in Nyando district and has been an instrumental in raising fund for Raila’s campaign kitty in the US. He is being credited as one of the strongest Raila supporters in the diaspora.
Dr. Makobewa a 40 year old trained medical doctor who is also the executive director of OGRA FOUNDATION an NGO with the strong British government financial support. Dr Makobewa who runs chains of ultra modern medium size hotels in Kisumu City also hail from Kano Plains. His candidature is reported to have bee endorsed by the elder from Kano clans sending out negative signal of clan’s politics involvement in the race or Kisumu County governor position.
The race for Kisumu governor has also attracted the younger sister of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga Ms Ruth Adhiambo Odinga who is the managing director of the Odinga family business flagship, The Spectre International which is runs and managing the Kisumu Molasses plant near Otonglo Market n the outskirt of Kisumu City.
Also I the race is the youthful insurance executive I London an Nairobi Simon Ogendo, who is the son of the former Kisumu Mayor, the late Ogendo Ponge. Ogendo, hails from Kolwa Location around Nyamasaria suburb in the outskirt Kisumu City, and is candidature is said to be attracting mostly youths ad women groups.
Kisumu County which covers six parliamentary electoral areas of Seme, Kisumu Town East, Kisumu Central, Kisumu Town East, Nyando, Muhoroni an Nyakach has the vast resources such as fish, tourism spots, farming with sugar cane and sugar factories as the mainstay of its economy need the right people at the helm of the County governance in order to turn it. This requires men and women of proven ability and experience to manage it and turn it around.
Kisumu City recently acquired the multibillion shillings new Kisumu Airport, which is soon expected to serve larger passenger planes. The site is the getaway to East African countries and cities with good connection to other destinations in the region b either roads and by air.
Already the Cit is hosting several secretariats of the East African Community whose senior and junior staff need good housing accommodation.
However, Kisumu City is the only major urban center in Kenya without functioning manufacturing industries.All the major industries such as the Kenya Breweries plant, Kisumu Cotton Mills Limited, Kibos Industries and others closed down a decade ago, splitting hundreds youth out of employment. The new Count top leader will have a daunting task of working toward the rehabilitation of the ’ closed down industries and possible establishment of new ones to absorb hundred of thousand of jobless youths who have since became a real security menace to the city dwellers, especially the school lever. The city woes could be rightly attributed as having been caused by politically motivated and economical marginalization of the Luo-Nyanza region by he previous KANU regimes.
ends