- He said he understood what ailed the constituency, and through servant leadership, he would help solve some of the challenges.
- Jalang'o said his leadership will be consultative, adding that he plans to work closely with various government agencies.
Image: DICKENS WASONGA
As the people of Gem head to the 2022 General Election, another member of the Midiwo family has thrown his hat into the ring.
Dr Jalang'o Midiwo said he intends to carry on the legacy of his brother, Jakoyo Midiwo, who was the area MP from 2002 to 2017.
Jakoyo died June this year.
A firebrand politician, he lost the ODM party ticket to Elisha Odhiambo in 2017, an election he later lost.
However, unlike his late brother, who was abrasive and sometimes even combative when tackling his political opponents, Jalang'o is a different kettle of fish.
During an interview with the Star on Thursday last week, Jalang'o exuded confidence, saying the next polls was his to lose.
However, he said he is alive to the magnitude of the task ahead.
“I have the network that is critical in bagging the seat. My brother actually found the ground already laid for him when he returned from the US to contest in 2002,” he said.
“I was the one who put in place the campaign strategies for him, which included introducing him to the people of Gem.”
But Jalang'o was quick to point out that he was not in the race just because of the family name.
“I am offering my candidature to the people of Gem because I want to serve them. I understand what ails the constituency and through servant leadership, I seek to address these challenges,” he said.
Jalang'o delinked himself from the alleged secret lineup for elective seats in Siaya.
A recent newspaper article associated him with the grouping that also featured Senator James Orengo and Governor Cornel Rasanga. ODM later distanced itself from the said lineup.
He said if he clinches the seat, top on his agenda will be to fix the falling education standards in the area.
Gem subcounty, tucked in Siaya county, boasts of distinguished professors and scholars, not just in Kenya, but across the region.
So widespread are academicians that locals often joked that a randomly thrown stone was likely to hit a professor's head.
Image: DICKENS WASONGA
“It is regrettable that the rich legacy left to our people by [colonial chief Odera] Akang’o is being eroded. Now, the residents are struggling with the problem of access to quality education and infrastructure,” he said.
He plans to introduce school feeding programme to address, amongst other things, the problem of malnutrition which he said is currently prevalent in Gem.
Jalang'o said the programme will also boost enrolment, while at the same time, ensure there is retention to promote quality learning.
He pledged to give attention to technical training institutes such as Gamba TTI in East Gem.
“Technical training Institutions provide opportunities for those who are unable to join secondary schools because of quality grades. This cadre can be given technical skills to be useful to the society,” he said.
He noted that TTIs will inspire more students to pursue technical courses.
He said he will be seeking to ensure that Odero Akang’o University, which is the only university in the constituency, is vibrant. The university, which was a branch of Moi University, was recently acquired by Maseno university.
“If the leadership at Odero Akang’o University cannot foster a working relationship with the existing institutions, then we should call for the establishment of a national polytechnic.”
He noted that the persistent wrangles that have bedevilled the campus in the past was hurting the area .The campus has been embroiled in wrangles since inception linked to opposing political interests.
If elected, Jalang'o said he will also transform the disbursement of CDF and bursary.
“There is need to delink execution of CDF projects from personal interests of the holder of the MP's office. I will ensure more students benefit and allocation per student is increased,” he said.
“The money that is given to schools should be sufficient and able to sustain the learning Institutions, including day schools.”
Jalang'o further said that the issue of insecurity in the subcounty can be addressed by empowering the disillusioned youth. He said runaway poverty was linked to acts of lawlessness in the area where mugging is rampant.
“Insecurity that we experience here is directly linked to poverty. We need to look into how to root out this by creating opportunities,” he said.
He said he is already working on strategies that will promote community policing, encourage and sponsor sporting events, where talents can be tapped thus empower the youths.
To address some of the economic challenges, Jalang'o said there is need to establish a sugar factory in the area.
“At the moment, we have land at Kudho Jaggery - at the border of West and South Gem. The land, which was donated by our family, has been given to Kibos Sugar Factory to serve as a sugarcane collection centre."
The sugarcane collection centre will serve as an economic intervention to Gem people.
He further said it will enhance and promote competition amongst the existing sugar factories within Nyando Sugar Belt and those from Busia and Kakamega that collect cane from the area.
"Our farmers supply jaggery to firms in Western Kenya that offer low prices, which hurt most of them considering the high cost of inputs,” he said.
Sugarcane production in the region has collapsed due to delayed payments by the mills, especially by state owned factories. Many dejected farmers have abandoned the cultivation of the crop.
He said his leadership will be consultative, adding that he plans to work closely with various government agencies, both at the national and county level.
“ We are considering having the National Cereals and Produce Board to establish a store in Yala town,” he said.
This will ensure there is ready market for various crops produced in the area.