Ongwae, Arati bury hatchet with transition meeting

After months of bitter political wars, outgoing Kisii Governor James Ongwae and Governor-elect Simba Arati have buried the hatchet.

The two had during the campaigns openly clashed over the succession battle, forcing Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga to intervene.

During Azimio's final rally in Gusii stadium, Raila asked Arati to exercise political tolerance and respect elders during his campaigns.

For the first time, Ongwae and Arati on Tuesday held a joint handover meeting with top county officers as a sign of an end to their frosty relationship.

The session at the Kisii Agricultural Training Centre was attended by executive committee members, chief officers, directors and their deputies.

Arati is due to formally take over the reins of leadership as the second governor of Kisii on Thursday, when he will be sworn in at Gusii stadium.

The inauguration will take place from 10am.

On Tuesday, Arati told the Star that "the past belongs in the past" saying he is determined to unite the county and forge forward.

"We have agreed to demonstrate exceptional leadership and political maturity during the transition with the past being left in the past," he said.

The governor-elect who won the race with a landslide against his opponents said he is determined to accord the outgoing governor the respect he deserves.

"I am happy that through God's grace we have come this far. Going forward our county is going to be a model for peace and tranquility. Squabbles are not part of our DNA going into the future," he said.

Through county secretary Patrick Lumumba, Ongwae had on Monday confirmed that he is ready to hand over power to Arati.

Lumumba is also the chairperson of the county transition committee.

The law requires the outgoing governor to hand the county flag, the county coat of arms, the constitution, and the county public seal to the governor-elect.

The governor-elect will then assume office upon receiving the instruments of power.

"It is his responsibility and in accordance with the constitution and spirit of democracy, he has assured me as he will hand over power smoothly.

"I want to confirm, in the affirmative, that the outgoing governor Ongwae will be in attendance at that function," Lumumba said.

Ongwae's attendance appears to put to rest the initial swirling rumours that he would skip the event.

Arati and Ongwae have not had the best of political and interpersonal relationship, despite being in ODM.

Ongwae did not endorse the Dagoretti North legislator to succeed him. He even urged the electorate to pick a different successor.

He accused Arati of hooliganism and thus unfit to lead the devolved unit

However, Arati rode to a resounding victory defeating his closest rival, UDA's Ezekiel Machogu with a significant margin.

Jubilee's Chris Obure, Ongwae's favourite garnered a paltry 9,000 votes to emerge a distant fourth in the hotly contested poll.

Arati won by 281,000 votes against Machogu's 80,000.

On Monday evening, the transition committee said proper arrangements have been made to accommodate as many people as possible.

They, however, said they shall strictly observe time as stipulated in the law.

"We expect that by 10 in the morning members of the public would have gathered at the venue. We urge them to keep peace throughout the inauguration and swearing-in event," Lumumba said.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)