Nyong’o isolates con political wheeler-dealers – Weekly Citizen

Kisumu governor Anyang Nyong’o appears to be increasingly isolating himself as he systematically sheds off those who stood up with him in the runup to the last general elections.
The team was previously referred to as ‘Tich Tire”. Among the casualties of Nyongo’s unpredictable behaviour is his former close ally and confidante Patrick Ouya. He was the chief-of-staff by the time he was removed.

Outa

Ouya and Kisumu senator Fred Outa vigorously campaigned for Nyong’o during the last general elections to the chagrin of the larger Kano community. The duo was seen as traitors for not rallying behind immediate then governor Jack Ranguma. Outa has in recent months been firing salvos at Nyong’o over his style of leadership. The latest member of Nyong’o’s team to fall out with him is embattled speaker of the Kisumu county assembly Onyango Oloo.
Eyebrows were raised when Nyong’o was among a delegation which paid Raila Odinga a courtesy call recently after Oloo had been replaced. Among those in the delegation was the acting speaker Elijah Oraro. Outa on the other hand has been critical of Nyong’o’s administration bordering on usage of funds. Outa, who vowed not to stop questioning how the county government spends taxpayers’ money, said he was only playing his oversight role.
“I’m exercising my role as a senator. It is my job to protect the interests of counties. Let nobody misinterpret this as an attack on the governor,” said Outa. Outa recently told off Nyando MP Jared Okello after the legislator accused him of attacking Nyong’o. Okello had criticised the senator for hitting at Governor Nyong’o in public gatherings. He told the senator to channel his complaints against the governor with regard to ‘misuse of public funds’ through the senate.

Oloo

The Nyando MP told Outa to stop sustained attacks on Governor Nyong’o. He advised the senator to liaise with the senate public accounts and investment committee to summon the governor to answer audit queries.
Outa however dismissed Nyando lawmaker’s remarks as baseless. The senator alleges that funds for the Kisumu Urban Project were misappropriated. He asked for financial statements from senate public accounts committee chairperson regarding the closure of KUP bank accounts.
He wants the committee to summon the concerned officers in the National Treasury and Directorate of Criminal Investigations to shed more light on the matter. KUP accounts had been frozen after money was wired to wrong accounts. This, he said, has hindered completion of the Sh4.5 billion projects funded by the French government.
Apart from the KUP projects issue, the senator has in the recent past put the governor to task over alleged change of ownership of Moi Stadium and Sunset Hotel to private developers. He also challenges plans by Nyong’o to construct a governor’s residence at Sh350 million.
Nyong’o terminated the contract of Ouya on grounds of gross misconduct.
Ouya who has been a close confidante of the governor since their days in the Social Democratic Party was fired his county boss, in a letter which said the officer was found in breach of article 75 of the constitution and section 40 of the county government Act. “Please hand in all the county property and equipment in your possession to the county secretary,” the letter reads in part.
This came after police grilled the official over alleged threats to Nyong’o’s life.
He was accused of threatening to shoot the governor and Deputy Governor Mathews Owili. The governor registered the complaint with the police at the Kisumu Central Police Station. Nyong’o said that the chief-of-staff “in an unexplained and unwarranted fit of rage”, accosted his security personnel and attempted to forcibly gain entry into the office.

Owili

This was while a meeting with “very important guests” was taking place, he said adding that Ouya threatened to shoot everybody.
Nyong’o has similarly sacked health executive Rosemary Obara and nominated Judith Miguda to serve in the docket. “This is pursuant to powers conferred by article 179 of the constitution and sections in the county government Act and for furtherance of quality health service delivery and management,” a statement by the county read. Miguda who has worked in several universities was a member of the intergovernmental relations technical committee.
Nyong’o announced that he had nominated Miguda to replace Obara. “Pursuant to powers of conferred by articles 179 (2) (B) of the constitution and section 30 of (2) (d) of the county government Act 2012 and for furtherance quality health service delivery and management, the governor has nominated Professor Miguda to serve as the CEC health,” the statement read.
The county director of communication Aloice Ager said Obara was replaced because the governor believed the docket needed better handling. Kisumu is among four counties piloting the universal health coverage scheme whose implementation has remained clouded in confusion in the county as some hospitals charged for some of the services that ought to be free under UHC.
“The health docket is also one of Governor Nyong’o’s legacy projects. He wants the docket reorganised and the referral system work through a lot of effort on grassroots health initiatives of disease prevention and early diagnosis and treatment. To this end he has hired and put on the county payroll 2,500 community health workers,” said Ager.

Ouya

But before the dust could settle Nyong’o did away with his county secretary Olango Onudi. He has been replaced by Peter Kigochi. Other members of the ‘Tich Tire” battalion such as Raila’s sister Ruth Odinga have fallen out with Nyong’o. The only surviving member of “Tich Tire” is the finance chief Nerry Achar and dreaded executive Grace Moraa.