Bungoma deputy governor Charles Ngome has accused Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka of sabotaging the county government’s development agenda.
Ngome alleged that Lusaka and officials who served in his administration are sponsoring activists to petition Governor Wycliffe Wangamati.
He appeared to be reacting to a petition on Wednesday by Webuye human rights activist Moses Lukoye asking the Senate to impeach Wangamati over what he termed gross misconduct and abuse of office.
Ngome spoke on Thursday at Kaptola coffee farmer’s cooperative society in Kimilili constituency.
“We are asking our colleagues who were previously in power but did nothing to empower and uplift residents’ lives to give us time to work and when 2022 comes, we will meet head-on,” he said.
Ngome said that Lusaka had done his part as the first governor of Bungoma and should now concentrate on Senate affairs.
He said Bungoma residents are praying that Deputy President William Ruto picks Lusaka as running mate for 2022.
Lusaka could not be reached for comment over the allegations as his phone went unanswered.
Ngome said the county is keen on revamping the coffee sector. The ministry of agriculture intends to ensure over two thousand farmers plant coffee every year to diversify from maize and sugar cane farming.
The county has a ready market for the farmers’ coffee, he said.
Bumula farmers were urged to plant Robusta coffee that is favoured by the area soil and climate
Ngome said the county had already launched the planting of Robusta coffee seedlings in Bumula sub-county.
During the launch last week, 10,000 seedlings donated by the Agriculture Food Authority were distributed in South Bukusu, Khasoko, Kimaeti, and West Bukusu wards.
Bungoma agriculture CEC Makanda urged farmers to embrace coffee farming to boost their income and provide employment for young people in the villages.
Makanda also urged farmers to enhance dairy farmers will soon benefit from the milk processing plant to be built in Webuye that will offer a ready market for their produce.
Chief officer for co-operatives Sella Mutsotso said the county needed to shift the cash crop farming from sugar cane to coffee which has been proven to be more profitable.
