• Kisumu Diaspora Forum accuses Nyong’o of favouring people from Seme subcounty, his home, in employment.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has dismissed allegations of clanism and nepotism in his administration as unfounded and malicious.
There have been claims Nyong'o favours people from his Seme subcounty in employment. Similar claims were used against former governor Jack Ranguma during the 2017 General Election.
Through his press unit director Alloyce Ager, Nyong'o denied that allegations, saying they are malicious political propaganda. He said county appointments were above board and fairly distributed to qualified people irrespective of where one comes from.
Ager said executive members were appointed from all the subcounties including those from diaspora. “We have three executive members from Nyando, two each from Kisumu West and Muhoroni and one from Nyakach, Kisumu East and the diaspora,” Ager said.
Kisumu county has seven constituencies: Nyakach, Nyando, Muhoroni, Kisumu East, Kisumu Central, Kisumu West and Seme.
In the city management board, Ager said appointments were well distributed in the county with two members are from the 'diaspora' and only one from Seme.
The diaspora is a local term used to refer to non-Kisumu natives popularly referred to as Oluwo Reru. The Kisumu Diaspora Forum has accused Nyong'o of favouring people from Seme in employment.
Forum chairman Milton Obote said Nyong’o has failed in ensuring fairness and equality in distribution of jobs and resources. “Nobody is fighting Nyong’o. All we want is an inclusive administration. Kisumu is big and should not be reduced to a Seme clan affair,” Obote said.
He claimed interviews for county public service board positions was conducted as formality. “We are aware they had decided on particular candidates,” Obote said.
He questioned why the panel was forced to go and interview an applicant in Nairobi after public uproar. The move followed a demand by Nyakach residents to have a representative on the board.
They wanted former Nyakach MP Peter Odoyo to become the board chairman.
Ager said there were 300 applicants for the position of chairman with another 900 applicants for member positions.
The names of shortlisted candidates have been forwarded to the assembly. Obote said Nyong’o needs to consider equity, youth and marginalised groups in his government.
He said an inclusive administration will restore cohesion and unity and reduce clannism. “Some of the county appointments and distribution of public resources were done unconstitutionally,” Obote said.
City management board chairman Elijah Adul, Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company managing director Thomas Odongo, county administrator Hagai Kadiri and Roads executive Thomas Odinjo all come from Seme.
Nyong’o appointed Olang’o Onudi, his longtime ally, as acting county secretary.
“We want people to be employed based on competence, integrity and subcounty balance not on clanism,” Obote said
He said, “Nyong’o was a sharp critic of Ranguma’s administration on exclusion. He is doing the same something. Such will cause disunity.”
Kisumu city residents voice association chairman Audi Ogada said there was public outcry against nepotism said be creeping into administration.
He urged Nyong’o to swiftly relook at his manifesto and address the claims.
Ranguma’s administration was accused of clannism and nepotism with Nyong'o among his most vocal critics. Experts believe Ranguma's loss in the 2017 election was largely due to the allegations.
The allegations might come to haunt Nyong'o when he seeks reelection in 2022 having parted ways with Patrick Ouya and Senator Fred Outa who were key in his campaign.
Nyong'o sacked Ouya as Chief of Staff while Outa has declared interest in unseating him in 2022.
Nyong’o’s deputy Mathews Owili comes from Nyakach. His allies are silently but bitterly complaining that he is being frustrated by two powerful executives, making it difficult for him to effectively discharge his mandate.
“He has no funds for operations including his office. He has been reduced to a puppet. It is only a matter of time before things get out of hands,” a county officer told the Star.
The diaspora forum with more than 4,000 members, belived to have control over some 158,000 voters, said they will continue pushing for equal distribution of resources and jobs.
In 2017, the disapora members criticised their exclusion from appointments. They said 90 per cent of county jobs were given to people from Ranguma’s Kano clan.