Rift governors focus on legacy in final term

After fighting off opponents in a bruising re-election battle to emerge victorious, all eyes are now on Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago and his Elgeyo-Marakwet colleague Alex Tolgos as they embark on their final terms in office.

The two have an arduous task of leaving a sound legacy as the pioneers of devolution in the region.

Together with Kericho’s Paul Chepkwony, they were the only Kalenjin governors to be re-elected in the highly-competitive gubernatorial races.

GENERAL ELECTION

The three, who are not eligible for re-election in the next General Election, are now positioning themselves to be key political influencers, especially due to the fact that Deputy President William Ruto will be taking a stab at the presidency in 2022.

Mr Mandago, who some have indicated could be the next Kalenjin kingpin after Mr Ruto, showed his political strength when he beat off a fierce challenge from business mogul Zedekiah Kiprop Bundotich to be re-elected in August.

There were reports that Mr Bundotich, popularly known as Buzeki, had the support of the Deputy President.

“We are very proud of our people for setting a good example to the country and beyond by maintaining peace during the electioneering period. This is despite the fact that the region had been mapped out as one of the possible violence hotspots,” said the governor.

Although Mr Mandago has not indicated his next move after the end of his term in 2022, many believe that he may plunge into national politics.

BUZEKI

“Our priority now is to discharge our mandate to the Uasin Gishu people and also ensure that DP Ruto enters State House in 2022. Who knows, if Kenyans see that I’m also up to the task, I can take over from him (Ruto) in 2032,” said Mr Mandago, who is in his 40s.

His influence in Uasin Gishu is such that whoever he supports in 2022 may emerge victorious in the governor’s race.

During the requiem mass for Eldoret Catholic Diocese Bishop Cornelius Korir, Mr Buzeki asked Mr Mandago to support his 2022 bid.

Mr Buzeki, who lost the Jubilee Party primaries to Mr Mandago and opted to go independent, maintained that he was still interested in the governor’s seat.

“I pledged to support my brother (Mandago’s) development agenda in the next five years. I expect him to return the favour by calling me FG (future governor),” said Mr Buzeki.

Mr Mandago, however, steered clear of the debate, but promised to look into Mr Buzeki’s request.

COUNTY BOSS

The county boss assured residents of an inclusive government as he embarks on his second and final term. “We will serve those who voted for us and those who voted for my opponent equally,” said Mr Mandago.

He promised that the county government will continue offering an enabling environment for investment.

Mr Mandago said his government had done a lot in the past five years, citing the putting up of security lights in Eldoret, which has boosted security in the region.

He said farmers were now paying Sh30 for every kilogramme of maize seeds, thanks to the county government’s intervention. This means that the price of a 25kg bag of maize seeds will also go down.

Mr Mandago said only farmers who were members of cooperative societies and other groups will be beneficiaries of the lower price.

“This is a deliberate effort to help the cooperative movement. The reason we only subsidise seeds for farmers in cooperatives is because we want our people to be members of groups,” he said.

DOCKETS

As a way of boosting service delivery to residents, Mr Mandago said his 10 county executive committee members will undergo evaluation tests quarterly to gauge their performance in their respective dockets.

He warned that those who failed to measure up to their tasks will be shown the door. “I want to leave a good legacy after the expiry of my term in 2022,” he said.

The governor said he almost lost his bid to retain the coveted seat in the August 8 General Election due to non-performance by his former executive members.

Mr Mandago has asked residents to help him in assessing the performance of each executive so that he can make an informed decision regarding their sacking or retention after every three months.

In the neighbouring Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Governor Tolgos said his focus was solely on implementing key projects that will define his legacy.

ECONOMY

He vowed to ensure his leadership delivered on promises he made during campaigns. Key among them is value addition of agricultural and livestock products alongside improvement of various sectors of the economy.

Better healthcare and opening up of remote areas through better roads are also outlined as his priorities in his second term.

The governor has often reiterated that he will neither condone staff inefficiency nor corruption, an indication that he is keen on leaving a legacy of outstanding performance in service delivery.

“My children are still young and I would want to leave a good legacy at the end of my leadership so that I could still get a job elsewhere after governorship,” said Mr Tolgos during his swearing-in ceremony at St Patrick’s Iten two months ago.

To achieve transparency, the governor has launched a public complaints office, complete with a telephone hotline, where the public will be attended to.