Deputy governors chart own ways with senatorial calling
High stakes political game plans, deceit and vested interests among governors and their executives are some of the reasons deputy governors have cited for abandoning their jobs for senatorial roles.
Despite frosty relationships with their bosses, the deputy governors say they have experienced tribulations under their bosses and can no longer persevere.
Some of the troubles include ejection from office, allocation of offices without furniture and being denied official cars and salary and deprivation of privileges.
Some have also cited their desire to ensure prudent use of public resources and prevent wastage, which they continue to deny residents services and development as their reasons to vie as senators.
Declared interest
Among deputy governors who have declared interest to run for senatorial positions include Joash Maangi (Kisii), John Mwaniki (Laikipia), Dr Abdi Issa (Isiolo), Prof. Charles Ngome (Bungoma), Nelson Mahanga Mwita (Migori) and Moses Mulomi (Busia) among others.
Vihiga deputy governor Dr Patrick Saisi has decided to take his boss head-on and seeks to unseat Governor Wilber Ottichilo for attempting to cripple him financially.
For several months last year, Saisi’s salary was withheld after Governor Ottichilo accused him of using proxies to fight the administration he belongs to.
Saisi has decamped from ODM to The Equitable Party (TEP) on whose ticket he will seek governorship. Saisi said his boss had earlier dared him for a political contest and noted that his decision to join TEP will now hand him an opportunity to compete against him.
In a TV interview in September last year, Ottichilo told Saisi to face him at the ballot if he is “man enough”.
In Isiolo, Issa who has been Governor Mohamed Kuti’s deputy for the last five years argues despite being humiliated, locked out of office, and deprived of his salary, he has a burning desire to ensure prudent use of public resources and prevent wastage which he says continues to deny Isiolo residents services and development.
He said amid the challenges he faces, including slashing his office budget, he had earned experience that will be crucial in oversight, representation, and legislative roles if elected senator.
“I want to go to the Senate to protect public resources that have been misused. I know where things have gone wrong and I will seal the loopholes,” he told People Daily on Monday.
Issa hit out at Kuti for what he termed as misplaced priorities for ostensibly lacking touch with the electorate as an “absentee county boss”.
In Bungoma, Ngome, who is not keen on pairing up with Governor Wycliffe Wangamati for a second term seeks to unseat Ford Kenya party leader Senator Moses Wetangula whom he says has outlived his “political usefulness in the county.”
“I want to give the people of Bungoma new leadership which Wetangula has not offered for the last two terms, even if he is elected for a third term, he will not,” said Prof Ngome.
He added: “I am focused on becoming the second senator of Bungoma and we are determined to put up a spirited fight and trounce Wetang’ula and the rest.”
Ngome is among politicians and their strategists working on edging out Wetang’ula, a seasoned politician.
Others in the race are journalist Advice Mundalo, and Machembe Mapangulula, a PA to former cabinet minister and Westlands MP Fred Gumo.
Negotiated democracy
Migori DG Mwita who has been assistant to outgoing Okoth Obado for nine years positions himself for the county’s top seat in a unique environment where negotiated democracy carries the day.
In Migori, a cosmopolitan region, when the Luo community has hegemony and produces governors, the deputy has to come from Kuria as has been the case since the inception of the devolved system.
“I am going for nothing less than the senatorial seat come 2022,” he said.
According to Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau, who recently ditched Wiper Party for Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) said the rifts across the counties between governors and their deputies are caused by misunderstandings, mostly stemming from a lack of transparency in running the county government.
Ahead of the 2017 General Election, Mombasa deputy governor Hazel Katana who had a frosty relationship with Governor Hassan Joho declared she would run for the Mombasa senatorial seat on a Jubilee ticket. Ms Katana equally had frosty relations with many employees of Mombasa County where her role as deputy governor was undefined. She also said she had gone without a salary for a year and felt isolated.
“I persevered abuses including being told I am lazy, an idler, stupid, unable to do anything, I cannot talk, had no voice, and useless but I am happy because I will have peace in Jubilee,” Katana said.
