The move by Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma to reshuffle his cabinet has been met mixed reactions from both leaders and residents.
The governor made a reshuffle in his cabinet that saw new faces joining the county government, other current CeCs transferred to other dockets, with others facing the sack.
Among those sacked includes Suspended Executive member in charge of Finance Joseph Okal, Eng. Vincent Kodera, who was in charge of Roads, Public Works and Physical planning, Rhoda Ahonobadha, Environment, Agriculture’s Dr. Stephen Orot, and Water and Irrigation executive Prof Barack Abonyo.
Among those retained are Education’s Jennipher Kere, Dr. Elizabeth Ogaja of Health, Dr. Rose Kisia of Tourism, and Industrialization’s Hanif Rama, who has been moved to the Roads docket.
Nyalenda A representative Jackton Onunga hailed the governor for making the changes, saying the move was aimed at improving service delivery in Kisumu.
Speaking to our reporter on Friday, Onunga attributed the county’s slow development to the sacked members, saying that most of them were politicians who were keen at succeeding Ranguma.
“The move is the best thing that has ever happened to Kisumu as most of the executive members are politicians who are only mudslinging the governor. We can now see a better future for Kisumu,” said Onunga.
Kisumu City Residents Voice association chairman Audi Ogada and his Kisumu Business Coalition counterpart Israel Agina accused the governor of piling the blame of underperformance on the executive members and sacking those who are opposed to his ideologies.
“The governor is only trying to play mind game with the residents by firing some of his cabinet members yet the ball is on his court,” said Audi.
“The governor fired the politicians hired by him in 2013 because he is seeing them as a threat to his next term. The move is only political and not development oriented,” said Agina.