Political differences between Gusii leaders allied to both Jubilee and CORD dominated a funeral ceremony of Bonchari MP Zebedayo Opore’s mother on Friday.
The CORD brigade led by South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya accused the Jubilee government of sidelining the region on matters development and vowed to rally behind residents to vote for CORD leader Raila Odinga overwhelmingly in 2017 elections.
Nyamweya said that the government would not be entrusted with leadership while citing massive corruption as a major problem it had failed to combat.
“It’s really disappointing that some leaders are pushing for JAP agenda in Gusii yet our region has been sidelined in development. We have many major roads in the region which have remained in a deplorable state not forgetting diminishing sugar farming which the government does not care about. The regime is not fit for leadership because it has also failed to tackle corruption and we have to be ready to change,” he said.
However in a quick rejoinder, Jubilee’s Kitutu Chache North legislator Jimmy Angwenyi said that Jubilee had given the region key appointments to government parastatals as one of the achievements by the government.
“We are all in agreement that the president scored dismally from this region but that doesn’t mean he’s not working. Some of the key government officials like the education CS and many heads of parastatals come from this region. We also have a number of road projects currently on going. Jubilee means good for us and we must support it in 2017,” he said.
Governor James ongwae on his part urged the government to expedite the process of releasing funds for development to county governments as a way of standing in solidarity with county units.
“I do not want to engage in politics but the national government has failed to promote devolution. The treasury is fond of delaying funds to counties and I think that is the major area for improvement,” said Ongwae who also doubles as the ODM area secretary.