Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City
THREE prominent women leaders, two former Nyakach MPS are among the 10political personalities who are eyeing the lucrative and powerful elective position of the Kisumu County governor.
The number of aspirants for this particular position got swollen up last Sunday following a meeting of members of the Jo-Kisumo from the various sub-clans of representing all clans of the indignant Jo-Kisumu Community which endorsed the candidature of the former regional manager with the Agricultural Finance Corporation {AFC}for Nyanza and Western Provinces Mrs Rhoda Ahonobadha to contest the Kisumu Count governor seat.
THe entry into this seemingly crowded field now bring the total number of contestants for this particular position to 10.
Armed with the wealth of experience in senior managerial level, Mrs Ahonobadha is an individual with the most illustrious academic background and the highest profile in top management and practical experience.
She is a graduate of the Nairobi University between 1974 and 1977 and later between 1978 and 1981 where he graduated with the Bachelor of Science degree in Botany, Zoology and Masters of Science in Animal production. She later joined the AFC in senior managerial position between the years 1983 and 2006 when she retired after reaching the mandatory retirement age.
Mrs Ahonobadha is a mother of five children three sons and two daughters- all are grown ups. She is the wife of Ambrose Ahonobadha retired a former IT communication engineer with the defunct Kenya Posts and Telecommunications.
He home in Nyahera near Ogada Secondary School in Kisumu East Location is only a kilometer from that of another contender for the same position Ms Ruth Adhiambo Odinga the younger sister of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga who has settled near Dago Market and even built a modern restaurant near her home.
Another woman candidate is Mrs Ateno Otieno a Nairobi based lawyer and business woman whose home is near Ahero township.
Also in the race are two former Nyakach MPs, Ojwang’ Kombudoand Peter Ocheng’Odoyo – – all of the them hail from Kabodho clan in Nyakach. Had also served Kisumu City as the record longest .Kombudo serving Town Clerk before venturing into parliamentary politics in 1979.He had also served as a cabinet Minister for Regional Development during in the last KANU Regime of the retire President Daniel Arap Moi.
K’ombudo lost his seat to Odoyo in 1997. Odoyo had also served in the cabinet briefly during the short-lived KANU-LDP merger as an Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, but lost the seat to the incumbent Polyns Ocheng’ Daima in the hotly contested and controversial 2007 general elections.
Other aspirants include the US based university lecturer Dr. Barack Abonyo who also hails from the Jo-Kano clan, and the former senior accountant with the Kenya Revenue Athoroit {KRA] Jack Ranguma fro Kano Kobura sub-clan.
A senior insurance executive in Nairobi and London Simon Ogendo is also in the race. He is the son of the former Kisumu Mayor, the late Ogendo Von Ponge. He hails from Kasagam around Nyamasaria suburb of Kisumu City.
Another aspirant who candidature is sending shock-waves to the spine code of other aspirant is the populist senior manager with the Mumias Sugar Company Peter Hongo who hails from Kusumo Kogony near the Kisumu International Airport. Also in the race is Prof. Menya Kariaga who is reported to be working in Australia or Canada, but currently back in the country mainly to be involved in the impending general elections. He had once contested Kisumu Town West parliamentary seat
The youthful Kisumu medics Dr Makobewa who is reported to have withdrawn his candidature following heavy pressure from other undisclosed quarters is reportedly being urge by his supporters to switch his candidature to the Kisumu Town Eat parliamentary constituency which is currently represented by the colorless Shakiil Ahmed Shabir. Dr Makobewa has yet to respond to the popular demand by the electorate. He is said to be keeping his option to his chest.
The entry of Mrs Ahonobadha into the race for Kisumu County governor now bring the total number of aspirants vying for the same position to 10. After leaving the services of the AFC, Mrs Ahonobadha became involved in various key community development activities within Kisumu County. She is the current deputy chairperson of the Agricultural Society of Kenya {ASK} ever since 2009 to-date.
photo of Ms Rhoda Ahonobadha who is the latest entry into the race for Kisumu County governor has caused a lot of panicking among the close to a dozen aspirants.
She is also an active member and Vice Chairperson of the Kenya Society of Agriculture professional.{KESPA}, a professional body which advocates for the rights and welfare of the farmers as well as its members. She is also a member of the Moi University Council, Kisumu Polytechnic Board of management.
She has been a director of the Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company {KEWASCO} Ltd, A member of the board of management of the New Nyanza General Hospital an also a member of the Kisumu Girls High School board of governors.
Mrs Ahonobadha, who is a the daughter of the former District Commissioner {D.C} during the post independence period the late Mr. Richard Alai is also credited for having worked closely with farmers, women groups, co-operative societies, NGOs and other community-based organizations and common interest groups in promoting livestock development and production for food security.
For many years she is known to have been involved the implementation and management of the development programs aimed at enhancing food security in the country and integrated agricultural development programs such as ‘Bull schemes”.Cockeral exchange programs.
After retiring from her lucrative job ,she has been actively involved extra mural curriculum lecture at Kabianga University in Kericho County as a part time and also at the Great Lakes University in Kisumu City.
A huge crowd of members of the Jo-Kisumu Community who included the former Kisumu , a former Human Resources Manager I several companies in Nairobi Mzee Sammy Oyombe, and several personalities including chiefs, retired Dos, D.Cs, church elders, women leaders gathered for a meeting at her Nyahera home where they unanimously passed resolution to have her as their candidate for the governor position.
Mrs Ahonobadha in accepting the endorsement by community, she promised to campaign hard against he opponents for the same job and asked the community to rally behind her .She also pledged that if elected the governor of Kisumu County she would work with other leaders to deliver the goods to the electorate.
She asked her audience to remain steadfastly in ODM and support its flag bearer for the presidency the Prime Minister Raila Odinga to realize his presidential ambition.
Ends