What is governor Ongwae upto 2022? – Weekly Citizen

Kisii governor James Ongwae is a worried man over the right successor who will take over from him. The governor has kept many guessing as they openly try to catch his eye and win his support. To complicate matters is what Ongwae’s next move will be after his tenure in office comes to an end 2022. One thing is however clear, that Ongwae will not back his deputy whom he alleges is currently tainted in the eyes of voters for conning deputy president William Ruto millions of shillings pretending that he has a strong footnote in Gusiiland. Elected on an ODM ticket, together with his deputy Joash Maangi, former senator Chris Obure, women representative Mary Otara, county assembly speaker Kerosi Ondieki, among several MCAs in 2013, they differed two years later when they teamed up with the family of retired politician Simeon Nyachae to fight him politically but he trounced them hands down, in the ballot in the subsequent 2017 general election.

Joash Maangi

The deputy governor has been on-and-off the county system with Ongwae reading desertion of duty which is tricky for Maangi to automatically succeed his boss come the 2022 general election. Ongwae remains among the most popular governors in the country, having garnered over 250,000 votes twice in a county with a population of about 1.3 million inhabitants who still rate him highly if he Can be on the ballot box, come the 2022 general election. The governor who was the first to host the Building Bridges Initiative meeting is on record to have convened the first ever education conference which brought on board local stakeholders immediately he he was elected into office. Several candidates have expressed interest on the eminent county coveted seat, but it is emerging that his final word will determine the victor who will succeed him if the constitution will send him into the confines of retirement.

Sam Ongeri

Among those who have declared interest for the seat to challenge Maangi who is keen on succeeding his boss are Senator Sam Ongeri, women rep Janet Ong’era, Rachael Otundo, Nyaribari Masaba MP Ezekiel Machogu, Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka, and the 2017 losers Chris Obure, Lumumba Nyaberi and Manson Oyongo, It is also highly believed that the pioneer county governor will become an automatic regional governor in the three-tier system of governance which the BBI proponents are championing and propagating for.When Ongwae contested in the 2013 general election, his main challenger Lumumba Nyaberi garnered a mere 67,000 votes against Ongwae’s 250,123 while in the 2017 general election, he triumphed and tounced veteran politician, Chris Obure, who garnered 120,000 votes against Ongwae’s 254,355. Proving that he has some votes in his pocket which he will decide on whom to vote for when the right time comes.