• Nyong’o said county government was steadfast in implementing projects and wondered why some politicians were busy peddling lies against his administration.
• Outa has been a sharp critic of Nyong’o over demolitions to pave way for new projects without public participation.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
@alalmaurice
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has defended his administration and told off critics, saying they should give him time to deliver on his development agenda.
Nyong’o said the county government was steadfast in implementing projects and wondered why some politicians were busy peddling lies against his administration.
“My government is on right track in implementing the development pledges I made to county residents in 2017. Let them judge me at the end of my five years in office,” he said.
The projects include the Sh241 million non-motorised transport in the Kisumu CBD. Currently, some of the ongoing demolitions are meant to create space for the beautification of the city.
Nyong’o on Tuesday vehemently told off politicians to stop using the relocation of traders to make a come-back.
“They are shouting themselves horse at funerals even as mourners refuse to listen to them. We cannot solve development challenges in funerals or public gatherings,” he said.
Nyong’o assured the business community of full support. He told small-scale traders that each one of them will have space to sell their wares.
He asked traders to ignore politicians who are spreading cheap propaganda against his administration.
Those who have not been allocated stalls at the Chichwa Market, Uhuru Business Park will soon open its gates and those affected will be given priority, he said.
“This ultra-modern business park will have up to 10,000 business stalls. It will be far better than the pavements where they have been trading in the scorching sun,” he said.
Nyong’o appealed to Kisumu residents to bear with the county government as it strives to make Kisumu one of the greatest cities in Africa.
MCAs Seth Ochieng (Market/Milimani) and Kenneth Onyango (majority leader) told Senator Fred Outa to stop politicising the ongoing development projects in the city.
They said Outa had been engaging in unhealthy politics, which derails developments in the county.
Ochieng said Outa should support the projects being implemented by the county for the betterment of residents instead of constantly politicking.
The senator, he said, was inciting residents against the projects implemented by Governor Nyong’o.
Ochieng said Outa should stop rhetoric in funerals. “We have heard him saying he will teach us a lesson. We are ready for him in 2022,” he said.
Onyango said they are supporting Nyong’o due to his development record. He has initiated roads, hospitals and bursaries among others across the country.
Nyong’o, Onyango said, has the blessing of ODM party leader Raila Odinga to transform Kisumu and that is unstoppable.
Outa has been a sharp critic of Nyong’o over the demolitions to pave way for new projects without public participation. He has declared interest to unseat Nyong’o in 2022.
Outa welcomed the ongoing development projects but said such should be done after public participation.
He said the ongoing demolition was ruining business premises, affecting the livelihoods of thousands of residents.
During a radio talk show on Wednesday, Outa said thousands of traders who have been displaced from the city’s CBD have been rendered destitute.
“We are not opposing developments in the county. All we want is for the governor to engage locals and ensure a resettlement action plan is in place before you demolish structures belonging to traders,” he said.
He blamed Nyong’o for sidelining other sub-counties and concentrating on developments in the city.
“All residents in the seven subcounties are taxpayers and they deserve development,” he said.
Most of the projects in the city are donor-funded projects, Outa said.
“Let him tell the public the projects he has implemented with billions of shillings allocated to his administration every financial year,” he said.
Edited by Henry Makori