Oparanya: I am now ready for higher office

In this interactive series, we invite our readers to send in questions to selected public figures. Answers will be published in the next print and online editions. This week, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya responds to your questions

1. What is your view on the handshake between ODM leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta? Should Mr Odinga have consulted first before agreeing to meet President Kenyatta, bearing in mind that just months earlier the police, who are under the President’s command, were accused of killing Opposition supporters? J Odeny, Vihiga

We support the handshake. It has brought stability in this country and given us a chance to focus on development. The handshake involved two leaders who did not need permission from anyone to seal a deal. The best we can do is to embrace the outcome instead of questioning the handshake.

2. You have declared your interest in running for the presidency in 2022. But Kakamega County is notorious for receiving adverse reports from the Office of the Auditor-General. In your first term, for example, the Kakamega procurement offices were broken into, and computers and other documents carted away. CCTV cameras allegedly captured your aide overseeing the exercise. You also failed to appear before the Senate to answer audit questions and, instead, took refuge in court. This is not a history that can help your presidential quest, is it? Farouk Machanje, Kakamega

The Office of the Auditor-General is a constitutional office and its primary function is to examine public accounts and raise questions as necessary. Raising a question does not necessarily mean that public funds have been lost or misused. More often than not, the questions arise from non-availability of documents and/or information to support specific expenditure. Accounting officers in Kakamega County are obliged to provide any such information whenever they are required to do so. The loss of computers cited here arose from a theft. Following investigations, security agencies arrested suspects whom they arraigned in court. The case is currently before a Kakamega court and hence can’t be discussed here. If you have concrete evidence, please bring forth such to the court or contact the county’s attorney. None of my aides was involved in the theft as alleged and those who made the claims are facing defamation charges. Governors are not accounting officers at the county. My refusal to obey summons from the Senate committee and the Council of Governors’ subsequent decision to seek interpretation of the law by the court was informed by a desire to follow the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act. I am glad I was finally vindicated and justice prevailed.

3. As deputy leader of ODM, you have lately taken a low profile on party matters and, instead, your body language and some of your remarks have left some wondering if you are warming up to Jubilee, especially Deputy President William Ruto. Could you clear the air so that we know your political position? Tom Waswa, Kakamega

Internal party engagements are not a public affair. Why should I warm up to the Deputy President and not vice versa? Remember, Mr William Ruto is the Deputy President and therefore as a governor, I need at the moment to work with him closely for the benefit of my people. Otherwise, come 2022, we will be competitors.

4. How was Kakamega picked from the lot of 47 counties to host the recent devolution conference? What financial benefits did the county accrue from hosting the conference? Francis Njuguna, Kibichoi

This was purely a Council of Governors’ decision made in my absence. But when I learned of it, I agreed to host the conference. It came as a pleasant surprise to us and we thank the council for the decision because having over 6,000 delegates assembled in a small town like Kakamega comes with huge benefits. The hospitality industry for the entire western region reaped big from the event. Hoteliers from the region formed a consortium to provide meals and refreshments for the visiting dignitaries and most facilities were fully booked; the transport industry equally cashed in on the windfall; small traders and farmers found ready market for their wares and fresh produce among other benefits. More importantly, the residents had first-hand experience on the key issues under focus by the county and national governments.

5. You started so well by recognising and funding infrastructure gaps in secondary schools in the county. What suddenly informed your decision to withdraw, even without warning, from this timely action in promoting education? What became of the timely and handy bursaries to needy students? Be that as it may, is your government available to listen to any special case presented for affirmative action? Kombwayo Silas, Matungu

The shift has been necessitated by changes in the Constituency Development Fund Act. We have now reallocated the funds to development of nursery education  programmes and facilities. There has also been a need to avoid duplication of efforts by the national government. My administration is always willing and ready to listen to the citizens on all matters pertaining to development including their affirmative agenda.

6. Devolution is about giving power to the people by bringing services and opportunities closer to them. What is your administration doing to uplift the lives of the youth in Mumias West Sub-County, a majority of whom are jobless? Kamau Beka, Mumias

My administration is committed to putting in place policies as well as legal and institutional frameworks that are geared towards building and sustaining a vibrant and diversified economy that is amenable to job and wealth creation. All youth from Kakamega’s 12 sub-counties, including Mumias West, are targeted. We have finalised plans to establish a micro-finance corporation to take over the activities of ‘Mikopo Mashinani’ initiative to ensure young people have access to affordable credit to start small businesses. We are also keen to attract investments into our county and the Lake Region Economic Bloc to boost job creation. Our priorities lie in the establishment of agri-based industries, diversified agricultural production and strengthening vocational and technical training to enable the youth to get jobs. We will introduce a County Youth Service that will be responsible for the implementation of projects in sub-counties, wards and villages. During my first term, we recruited and trained hundreds of enforcement officers and ‘Kazi Mashinani’ guards in each of the county’s 60 wards. We also came up with programmes to support jua kali artisans and boda boda riders.

7. As minister for Planning, you were in charge of the census in 2009. Was there a government policy then to downplay the exact numbers of certain communities for political and economic reasons? James Kamau

There was no such a policy. Census is an important tool in ensuring good governance in planning and resource allocation. Therefore, tampering with the process is unacceptable for nations that aspire to maintain just, open and democratic societies. In the last census, where we suspected that figures were not corresponding to projected trends, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics used a projection tool to estimate population increases across time in the affected regions. This was contested by certain communities which resulted in court proceedings that ended up reinstating figures reported in the census report. An appeal was made and the matter is still pending in court.

8. Kakamega is a county that experiences favourable climate that has led to farmers getting good harvests. But we lack agri-based industries in the county. For instance, Lugari and Likuyani sub-counties are large scale maize producers. Why can’t your administration set up a maize milling plant here? Farmers have to sell their maize at throwaway prices to middlemen who reap big time by selling maize to Eldoret-based grain millers. Oliver Hyuga, Lumakanda

According to our County Integrated Development Plan, Kakamega is tasked with creating an enabling environment for investment. As it stands today, we have not succeeded in getting investors on board. However, plans are underway to establish a maize milling plant in Lugari during the second term. I am in total agreement that the two sub-counties are Kakamega’s grain baskets and it is in order that the farmers are facilitated to market their produce.

9. Governor, you are doing a good job in health. Keep it up. But why do governors insist on losing billions of taxpayers’ money on buying medicine from the private pharmacies at prices higher than those of the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) or the Mission For Essential Drugs and Supplies ? What can be done to ensure people get value for money on drugs regardless of how corrupt a governor is? Dr Mwenda Nicholas, Medical Officer of Health, Tana River

I am not aware how procurement of drugs is done in other counties but my county procures drugs from Kemsa with whom we have a signed an agreement.

10. Recently, debate about the viability of counties and their impact on the economy has been raging. What is your position on reducing the number of counties to 14 as some have suggested? Moses Githinji, Nairobi.

I fully agree to this regionalisation to strengthen devolution and formation of economic blocs as we are doing in the lake region so as to enjoy economies of scale. However, any envisaged re-organisation should leave the counties as they are in their current form.

11. The Senate summoned you to appear before it to respond to audit questions raised by the Auditor-General and you ignored it. Don’t you feel your actions are a violation of the law? Andrew Ratemo, Malindi

As I have stated above, the law does not require appearance of governors before the Senate committee. Furthermore, the county executive is answerable to the assembly on matters to do with financial accountability.

12. A number of students who have emerged best in primary and secondary school exams in Kakamega have been fully or partially sponsored as a form of appreciation for working hard. My concern is on higher education, more so in university, who graduate with First Class honours. What is your plan for them? Osundwa Kassim, Kakamega.

I am not aware of the existence of such students. I only remember one such high performer who approached us and we offered her a job.

13. According to government information, the Matunda-Tongaren-Naitiri road is recorded as tarmacked. This, however, is not true as the plan to tarmac it was not done because of alleged embezzlement of funds by a former MP few years back. What is your administration doing about this road? Gasire Ayere, Kakamega

This is a national road and hence outside the responsibility of the county government.

14. In four years and some months from now, many governors who have served their two terms will be out of office, including you. What will you be doing after that? In your view, how best can Kenyans make use of retiring governors? David Musyoka, Kitui

Governors have their unique capabilities, aspirations and ambitions. They are not any different from other leaders in different capacities. They, therefore, do not necessarily have to aspire to play an active role in the Executive. However, based on their rich experience and familiarity with their regions of governance, they would form a rich pool of advisers that both county and national governments could tap into. Personally, my ambition for presidency in 2022 is in the public domain and is driven by my record.

This would include consultation with the private sector as well as with the civil society and international development partners.

I have been an MP for Butere for two terms and a minister for Planning and Vision 2030 in the national unity government of retired President Mwai Kibaki in 2007-2012. I am one of the key architects of Vision 2030 that Kenya is committed to today and whose implementation is ongoing.

Following the promulgation of the new Constitution in 2010, I was overwhelmingly elected governor of Kakamega County in 2012 and re-elected in 2017. Logically, I am now ripe for a higher office.