Vihiga Deputy Governor Patrick Saisi says his life is in danger following a fallout with his boss Wilber Ottichilo.
The two have been involved an open war of words and the bad blood seems to have escalated.
Saisi has already recorded a statement with police over his fears. The statement was recorded at Kisumu Central police station OB NO/ 034/21/07/019 under county commander Benson Maweu.
Maweu directed Saisi to record another statement at the Vihiga police headquarters in Mbale. It remains unclear whether Saisi has recorded the second statement. Vihiga county police commander declined to respond when asked about the matter saying he was out of office.
Ottichilo and Saisi have been attacking each other in public, signaling a likely fallout. Saisi claims the governor is using junior staff to frustrate him.
“We all know that Ottichillo is the governor and I deputise him, but I'm not given a chance to delegate duties in this county. Anything I direct to be done is not done until the governor himself directs it be done,” Saisi said.
Saisi said the frustrations have left him wondering whether they are no longer a team in running the county affairs. "I'm supposed to be in charge when the governor is out of the county but the junior staff often undermine me," he said.
Insiders say the differences between the two started escalating when the governor asked his deputy to only to wave to mourners at the funeral of football legend Joe Kadenge in Hamisi last month. Saisi felt slighted because Ottichilo later gave MCAs present a chance to address the gathering.
Saisi decision to go public with threats to his life has escalated the fallout with MCAs now trying to broker peace between the two county chiefs.
Deputy speaker Nickson Butiya said the assembly was doing everything it can to resolve the differences.
Butiya said such wrangles could derail development if not resolved. “The county bosses have gone out of control. There is noise everywhere with either Ottichillo complaining or Saisi doing the same. We want to compel them to resolve their issues as mature leaders,” Butiya said.
The Shiru MCA has asked the leaders to stop using airing their differences in the media. "The media is even escalating the problem which can lead to more problems," he said.
Butiya said he had asked said he has asked speaker Hasna Mudeizi to call a special sitting to discuss the fallout between the governor and his deputy.
edited by peter obuya
