Nyamira Freedom Association’s chairman Kerosi Nyagaka has criticised Governor John Nyagarama’s speech during the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Nyamaiya stadium.
Speaking with this writer during an exclusive interview on Wednesday, a former King African Rifles soldier said the governor had failed to recognise any of the county’s heroes in his 30-minute speech to the county residents even after some of them attended the celebrations.
He said the county government should apologise to some of people who had uniquely served the nation from pre-independence days to date who hailed from the county.
“We were there in large numbers and no one even noticed our presence. All we heard is the Governor talking of his achievements but failed to recognise even a single individual. We demand that they apologise to some of us who are very old,” he said.
According to him, the county had deliberately ignored them and many of them were still facing economic challenges despite their invaluable contribution to the region and the region at large.
“We are the forgotten lot. Not just the elderly generation, even those who have recently carried the mantle of the county at national or international scenes. We are going through economic difficulties yet no one seems to care,” he added.
However, in a quick rejoinder, County Secretary Erick Onchana denied the claims on phone and said the county had put mechanisms to identify genuine beneficiaries who will be treated as heroes.
"First, there were special seats for them and the fact that they weren't mentioned doesn't mean that we don’t care. We have set a committee that will identify genuine heroes,” he said.
Onchana also revealed that the county government had chipped in to cater for treatment of the widow to the first Kenyan to win an Olympic Gold medal (Naftali Temu), Josephine Temu.