Kisii County politicians have been urged to desist from campaigning in the region on the basis of clanism, since the move was detrimental to integration among the people in the South Nyanza County.
Speaking on Monday at a funeral ceremony in his Bombaba-Borabu ward, Kona Onyancha accused the area leadership of inciting county residents to start voting along clan lines, saying the habit was cropping up and might escalate if not addressed.
He asked politicians to act as symbols of national and county unity by working without discrimination, and by giving people from different clans’ equal opportunities in development.
“There is a trend among the politicians that is coming up. People are inciting their constituents to vote along clan lines and this is threatening integration among our people. Politicians should act as symbols of national unity,” he said.
Onyancha praised area Governor James Ongwae for working without discrimination, and condemned those implicating him of clan bias in executing his duties as the Governor.
“I do not come from the clan of Governor Ongwae, but I believe he is really working very well. Time has come for all politicians to support his administration because he is working without discrimination any clan,” he added.
Kisii County has several clans with the leading ones being Abagetutu, Abanyaribari, Abagirango, Ababasi and Abamachoge, with Governor Ongwae hailing from Abagetutu clan, and his Deputy; Joash Maang’i comes from Bomachoge clan.