Gusii leaders clash in front of President William Ruto
The elusive Gusii unity reared its ugly head again in front of President William Ruto as leaders tore into each other leading to the heckling of some.
Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo was the biggest casualty of what turned out to be political and clan supremacy and was heckled even in his home ground of North Mugirango.
In Kitutu Masaba, he was unable to address the gathering and was forced to take a back seat and watch as other leaders addressed his constituents.
North Mugirango Member of Parliament Joash Nyamoko tore into the other lawmakers from Nyamira, accusing them of sabotaging his leadership and ‘backbiting’ him in funerals.
But what is worrying for the community that is struggling to find its bearing after the exit of former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i from public life, is that its unity has continued to be elusive and short-lived with more divisions being witnessed in the last two years.
This happens even as leaders of the community insist that its (unity) full attainment will unlock the region’s potential and better the lives of residents.
In the last two years, unity has often been forged ahead of every visit to the region by President Ruto.
There has been a worrying trend in the past, with bitter disagreements and fights between the political leaders as soon as the president departs.
The warring leaders, especially those elected in the President’s party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), have infamously done very little to help the Head of State earn the people’s support in the two counties.
The President is in Gusii for a three-day ‘development’ tour starting Monday.
“You people have decided to do a referendum here?” President Ruto asked Kitutu Masaba residents after they heckled Mr Nyaribo.
Ahead of President Ruto’s Monday visit, elected and nominated leaders from the community had been, in a rare show of collaboration, meeting to plan on how best to welcome him.
Their efforts included their meeting with President Ruto last Thursday at State House. Residents have been debating how long the ‘unity’ would last.
Kisii Governor Simba Arati and his Nyamira counterpart Mr Nyaribo led other leaders into the meeting.
The President was expected in the region earlier but it emerged that leaders from the community needed to put their houses in order first.
Two weeks ago, lawmakers from the region held a meeting in Nairobi ahead of President Ruto’s expected visit and vowed to remain united.
The meeting was convened by Solicitor-General Shadrack Mose. President Ruto was expected in Kisii and Nyamira on August 5.
The tour was postponed after antagonistic leaders failed to agree on the constituencies the president was to visit and the projects to launch.
Also, there were complaints from a section of leaders in Kisii that Ruto’s visits are usually confined to three constituencies, that is; South Mugirango whose MP is Silvanus Osoro, Kitutu Chache North which is represented by Japheth Nyakundi and Nyaribari Chache whose legislator is Zaheer Jhanda.
The disgruntled leaders wanted the head of state to visit other regions in Gusii as well. The visit was rescheduled to August 12.
The modus operandi of the UDA-aligned leaders might however change, considering that President Ruto has co-opted opposition figures in his Cabinet.
This political masterstroke may earn him the rare support of some of Gusii’s leaders with immense grassroots support.
The leaders are Mr Arati, Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South) and Clive Gisairo (Kitutu Masaba).
Last Thursday, the Gusii leaders together with the newly appointed Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba met President Ruto at State House, Nairobi.
Conspicuously missing in all these ‘unity’ meetings is Kisii County Senator Richard Onyonka, who has been very critical of President Ruto’s administration on the floor of the Senate and in media interviews in the wake of the Gen Z protests.
“Development in Nyamira and Kisii is a top priority for us. President Ruto met with us to discuss key issues in preparation for his upcoming three-day visit,” said Mr Nyaribo after the meeting.
Mr Osoro, who is also the National Assembly Majority Whip, said that “a lot has been lined up for the betterment of the region”.
He noted that the initial meeting with leaders had allowed the leaders to reflect on their past failures and plan for the future.
“Our diversity of opinion is temporary but our region’s needs are common,” he stated.
His Kitutu Chache North counterpart who is also UDA National Treasurer Japheth Nyakundi elucidated that the goodies will include the launching of road construction projects, a Cancer Centre, affordable housing, Last Mile electricity connectivity and school infrastructure projects.
“We, in unison, agreed that all stalled and earmarked projects by President Ruto will be completed before the end of his first term (in office),” said West Mugirango MP Steve Mogaka.
Mr Mogaka said that they had resolved to shelve their political affiliations “for the sake of the Omogusii community and development” and that the president’s tour would fast-track the completion of stalled projects in the region.
On Tuesday, August 13, Kisii Woman Rep Dorice Aburi was heckled at Ekerubo.
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