Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has said governors will campaign for his 2022 presidential bid.
He said the county chiefs had agreed to continue serving the people until 2021, before they focus on 2022.
Oparanya said being elected Council of Governors (CoG) chairman meant all the governors recognise him as a potential leader.
“The 47 governors do not just elect you unless they are convinced that you have the qualities to lead. I have my people in every county and when the time comes I will have an adequate network for my campaigns,” he said.
Oparanya spoke at a funeral at Ebuchirinya village in Mumias West on Saturday.
He has declared he will run for the presidency in 2022 after serving his second and final term as governor. He hopes to use his development record to anchor his presidential bid.
Oparanya will have to first battle it out with ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula. They have also announced their bids for the top seat.
The Kakamega governor has on several occasions asked ODM leader Raila Odinga to support his bid, saying he stood with him in 2007, 2013 and 2017.
Oparanya said Raila has unsuccessfully run for the top seat four times and it was time he backed another person.
Raila’s silence on his 2022 plans has left his friends and foes guessing because it remains unclear whether he will run for the fifth time or not.
Oparanya asked Kakamega residents living and working outside the county to return home to be counted during the national Census.
He said the census is critical since the outcome will determine revenue allocation to counties.
“Tell your sons and daughters living outside Kakamega to come home for the exercise because if they don’t, their money will be sent to where they were counted and should not come to disturb us here,” he said.
Oparanya said he will ensure that the cash-strapped Mumias Sugar Company is revived before he leaves office as governor.
He said that a task force he appointed two months ago to come up with recommendations on the revival of the miller will hand over its recommendations next week.
“I will go round the county to tell you what is in the report and how we intend to implement the report,” he said.
