•Ongwae refused to give a succinct answer on who he would specifically want to succeed him as he leaves.
• He told the electorate to be wary of those lacking development agendas for the County.
Image: BENSON NYAGESIBA
Kisii Governor James Ongwae says the county would do better with a well-schooled successor.
A poorly educated County boss, argued Ongwae, will do the electorate a great disservice if he gets his way to the office.
"Such a person cannot engage development partners out there for funds. This is a seat that requires someone with a proper grounding in education, there is more intellectual work needed in that office, not anybody," Ongwae told journalists during an interview in Kisii on Thursdays night.
He refused to give a succinct answer on who he would specifically want to succeed him as he leaves.
Ongwae however, promised to do so in the next two months before he leaves office.
"Be sure I will have my favourite candidate too, but I would rather keep it to myself for now till a later date. Am hoping this is not the last interview," the ODM Governor said during an interview at Agriculture Training Center (ATC) in Kisii.
Ongwae said he is yet to get acquainted with those who had paid for nominations for the seat to help him make informed choices on who to back for now.
"People don't have to rush for this seat, there are certain rigorous demands that go with it," said Ongwae.
He told the electorate to be wary of those lacking development agendas for the County.
"It definitely requires some high level of intelligence, someone who can stand in the courts of donors in the USA, in UK or Japan to reason with them, a person who knows the nitty-gritty of what the County needs and not anyone who is vying for the sake of it," said Ongwae.
The County, he added, needs a governor who can bring honour and respect to the region.
He appeared to argue out against age as a factor in County leadership.
"It is all almost about development, not age. I have seen some Governors who irrespective of their advanced ages are great performers. To me it is about a person who can effectively utilize resources for the benefit of our people, not really about how old they are," the Governor told journalists.
He spoke during a meeting with a group of journalists for the first time since the Azimio La Umoja function in Kisii during which some governor aspirants were booed by a section of the crowd.
Senator Sam Ongeri, also a Governorship hopeful but who has since defected to the DAP K party faced the most intense of the jeering.
Bottles of water were thrown his way as he spoke at the dais.
Reminiscing in the drama, Ongwae described the event as unfortunate and lacking political manners.
Kisii, he noted, would be headed in the wrong direction if some candidates get elected.
"If the chaos I saw during Azimio were truly sponsored by some candidate, then such should not be elected, personally I won't vote for him," stated Ongwae during the interview at Agricultural Training Center (ATC).
Kisii, he said, has had a fair share of peaceful campaigns and polls in the past, a record likely to be marred by certain characters as polls get closer.
"We had gone round canvassing for votes with people like Chris Obure and we never occasioned any ugly scenes anywhere, neither did our supporters."
"Candidates should not sink to the level of organizing jeering mobs, rather they can organise cheer squads who should clap them the most to send a point rather than booing other leaders," Ongwae said.
As he bows out, Ongwae says he could have done more to leverage health services and invest more in the youth.
"I could inject more capital into health, build more playing grounds, open up more markets for our mama mbogas. Already we have set the systems and am sure whoever will take over from me will be a happy man," said Ongwae.
Speaking about ODM wrangles in Kisii, Ongwae faulted some people who he accused of infiltrating the party.
The wrangles, he said, are helping deflect the efforts being directed at marketing Azimio leader Raila Odinga.