By Hope Barbra
The Kisumu County gubernatorial contest could be turning into a money playfield without any sound and meaningful development agenda and policies being sold to the electorate.
The free-flowing money has formed part of the contest, with other aspirants challenging one another on their financial might.
Currently, some of the aspirants give between Sh500 and Sh5,000 during engagements, and this is turning the campaigns into a money contest rather than manifesto and issue-based engagement.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr Mathews Owili expressed concern over the emerging trend where gubernatorial aspirants’ main agenda is dishing out handouts to the electorate instead of selling their policies.
He said most of the aspirants do not know what the delivery path of Kisumu entails in terms of the delivery of different projects.
“What we have seen from most of these aspirants is people giving money left, right, and centre. Are the people going to line up every day of the week if you become the governor to give them money?” he said.
Owili said the dishing out of money should not be used as the yardstick to elect the third governor of Kisumu, as it was demeaning and an abuse of the conscience of the electorate.
The Deputy Governor, who has declared interest in the gubernatorial seat, said the aspirants must be able to articulate what they stand for without using money to influence voting patterns in the county.
“Reliance on money as a means to win the election undermines the integrity of leadership. It is an abuse of the conscience of the electorate,” he said.
The seat has attracted founder Governor Jack Ranguma, Owili, Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda, Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor, Kisumu Central MP Dr Joshua Oron, Kisumu Women Representative Ruth Odinga, former MP Ken Obura, and Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu.
Dr Owili said he was the most qualified of the candidates, having been part of Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s administration and his manifesto, and understands what Kisumu needs.
“I know we need to deliver on the Special Economic Zones, actualise the full operationalisation of the port, and think about urban mobility, and I have never heard any of the aspirants talk about them,” he said.
He accused his competitors of promoting goons instead of creating employment opportunities for young people.
“Why are these aspirants not creating spaces for the youths? We need to create a digital hub to employ and engage our youths in economic opportunities,” he said.
