Being honest in politics is the worst thing you can do, advises Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichillo, claiming he is being fought because of his 'honesty'.
Recently, Vihiga Senator George Khaniri said the governor should be held responsible for any misuse of county funds, while some MPs accuse the county chief of neglecting their regions.
“There's no big crime I have committed as a governor. Those fighting me only want to intensify their political strength towards 2022
General Election,” Ottichillo said.
"Walk around, reach them and ask them of my mistake, they have nothing to say. It’s only that they have made me to be their punching bag," said the governor.
"All these theories around here are to strengthen their ground because they know that unseating the incumbent governor is not a joke," he added.
Governor Ottichillo was speaking to Star on Saturday at Maseno Trinity center where he was meeting youths from Luanda South.
Ottichillo said he wants to focus on development and ensure the hospital plaza is over and the Belgium-funded water project is completed.
"That plaza has stalled for long, now my plan is to ensure by the time we are on the election that plaza is over," he said.
He said the assembly had already allocated Sh100 millions to complete the building.
He further said he will be working closely with the assembly to set a budget for last mile connectivity once the water project is over.
The project, which is 80 per cent complete, was expected to be completed at the end of October this year, but was halted due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Ottichillo said World Bank projects are not a corruption spree as is being purported out there by my opponents.
He said the reason why some people have been fighting the World Bank-funded projects is that they don't understand this kind of funding.
"We only do roads of light commercial and not heavy duty as is done on highway and therefore we can't compare the two," Ottichillo said.
"Those claiming World Bank is channel of fund embezzlement are political dwarfs who cannot make use of their eyes to see what the county has achieved via the World Bank funding," he said.
He further said World Bank has got its own procedure in handling funds and include auditing.
“In Vihiga County, we don’t have any budget for the First Lady even to the central government. Those who have created such budget is a center of corruption,” Ottichillo said.
He said if the National Government had a budget for the First Lady, then Margaret Kenyatta couldn’t fundraise for her Beyond Zero campaign.
NEGLECTING PARTS OF THE COUNTY
Ottichillo said no any sub-county has been neglected.
He said his CECMs and chief officers come from across the county.
Ottichillo said Luanda has Finance CEC Alfred Indeche, and chief officers Abisai Amatalo and Mary Anyienda.
"All 25 wards across the county were given Sh35million and were well covered,” he said.
"The notion of I have neglected Luanda or any other part of this county is just a political narrative that has no help to county residents who have brains," he said.
Ottichillo said individuals' qualifications will hand them jobs.
"We also look at balancing the county interns of employment and disabilities as well but that is under County Public Service Board."
