Nyong’o meets Kisumu MCAs in bid to unseat Ranguma

Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o has been meeting members of the county assembly to woo them in his quest for the governorship next year.

The senator held a meeting with the MCAs at a Kisumu hotel on Saturday to sell his candidature ahead of the elections.

MCAs present at the meeting held at the Royal City Garden in Milimani on Wednesday said Prof Nyong’o used the forum to present his policies and agenda for the county as well as ask for their support in next year’s polls.

“The senator informed us that he is running for the position of governor in Kisumu and asked for our support as elected leaders, but with a caution that he will not get offended if we fail to support his bid for the seat. The meeting was a full House,” Seme MCA Aggrey Ogosi told the Nation on Wednesday.

“He said he will be seeking the ODM party ticket just like the rest of the candidates. He said the ticket will not be handed to him on a silver platter,” added Mr Ogosi.

While announcing the meeting on his Facebook page, Prof Nyong’o said the forum was to discuss how to improve services in the county.

“Held a breakfast meeting with members of the Kisumu County Assembly over the weekend to discuss crucial matters relating to the county government and how we can work together to make Kisumu better and strengthen devolution,” he said.

The senator will be facing off with incumbent Governor Jack Ranguma, whom he has accused of failing to spur development despite receiving billions of shillings from the National Treasury.

The two leaders have in the past been involved in heated exchanges over the relocation of the town’s largest dumpsite, Kachok, which the senator said has polluted Lake Victoria and the city.

Others in the race to oust Mr Ranguma are Hezron Mac’obew and Asaka Nyangara (a businessmen) and Gordon Okumu, a former university lectuter.

According to insiders, the senator is reaching out to a section of MCAs said to have fallen out with Governor Ranguma over the management of the county. In the past months, Prof Nyong’o has met the MCAs at least four times.

The senator addressed the House during the official opening ceremony in February. He later addressed the MCAs on their roles in law-making and oversight.

His third meeting was with a section of the MCAs who attended the County Assemblies Forum conference in Mombasa in May, when he had tea with the ward representatives, according to Mr Ogosi.

Prof Nyong’o has also accused Mr Ranguma of failing to end border conflicts between Kisumu and Nandi counties as well as the row over the ownership of Maseno town.

The governor has also been put on the spot for delaying the re-constitution of a city management board and denying the town funds.

Mr Ranguma has, however, dismissed the accusations and called for his re-election to allow him to complete his development projects.

“My re-election will be a major boost for development in the county. Nyong’o is a seasoned politician, he should stop being a coward and be ready for a landslide defeat within the ODM party,” said Mr Ranguma.