By Anderson Ojwang
The second day of President William Ruto’s tour of Nyanza was a revelation.
In comparative analysis, Saturday’s development tour of Gem constituency in Siaya county compared to Sunday’s tour of Kasipul constituency in Homa Bay county was so telling.
While the Saturday function was laced with political lamentations and apologies over the failure of the area governor James Orengo to attend the function, the Sunday function raised the bar high with the youngest MP Boyd Were articulating issue- and development-based politics.
If anything, the Gen Z Were captured and delivered the constituents’ and the people of Nyanza’s request to the President during his tour.
And when President Ruto spoke, he thanked the people of Kasipul for supporting the broad-based agenda by electing Were as a broad-based candidate to replace his murdered father as the MP of the area.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the constituents of Kasipul because when we lost our brother Charles Ongondo Were, you supported us in the broad base to elect Were.
As the leader of the broad-based administration, I want to thank you people of Kasipul for honoring and giving us this young man as broad-based through ODM to be the MP,” he said.
Ruto told the constituents that they made the right choice by electing Were as the area MP.
“In this young man, we have a leader, a future, and because you elected him, I will mentor him. I have mentored many young people and I see in this young man a future leader.
Boyd, I am going to work with you. I am going to support and mentor you so that you can serve the people of Kasipul and provide leadership to our people in Kenya.”
When Were spoke, he delved on developmental politics by first mentioning projects already undertaken by the national government before making further requests.
He asked the President to support the completion of
“We are in Agoro Sare high school, the pride of Kasipul constituency and Homa Bay county. We inspected the school and you saw the ongoing multipurpose hall. We kindly request for your support,” he said.
Were also requested the construction of hostels for Sikri Polytechnic and Kenya Medical Training College in the area.
“Your excellency, I am the last born in the family of broad-based. You know last born get preferential treatment. Allow me to request for the 16 K road from Lida to join Kasipul with Karachuonyo constituency,” he said.
Treasury Cabinet Minister Secretary John Mbadi supported Were’s request for the tarmacking of the road.
“Your Excellency, the last born has made a request and I know you will not leave him empty-handed. If you give a go-ahead, I will look for money for the project,” he said.
President Ruto responded by granting the request and asking the Roads cabinet secretary and Mbadi to fast-track the request.
“When the last born asks for something, what do you do? You give, because young man, this is your first request, it is granted. I will give Sh 30m to complete the multipurpose hall and for the Sikri-Lida road, cabinet secretaries Davies Chirchir and John Mbadi use your head,” he said.
Interestingly, on Saturday, in Gem, President Ruto was treated to lamentations and apologies from the legislators from the region after Orengo gave the function a wide berth.
Alego MP Sam Atandi said in 2027, Siaya will have a new governor and that Orengo will be thrown into the political dustbin.
“We are not fearing anybody. We want to announce here today that we are going to elect a new governor for Siaya. How many are ready to elect a new governor for Siaya?” he said.
Atandi said Orengo has failed to deliver on his mandate with no development record to show for the residents.
The leaders apologized to the president for the absence of Governor Orengo at the function and promised to take him home in the next year’s general elections.
“Mr. President, we want to apologize. It is sad the governor comes to you for development and you honor the request. But instead he turns around to abuse. We implore you to ignore him going forward,” said Ugenya MP David Ochieng.
Ochieng said Siaya made a mistake by electing Orengo who has perfected the art of politics, miserably failed in development, and failed to work with President Ruto to stir development in the county.
“I, David Ochieng, will be the Siaya Governor in 2027. I will be ready and eager to work with you. We as Luos are supporting your re-election,” he said.
Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo said Orengo was a one-term governor and should be rejected in 2027 elections.
