Senator Khaniri launches bid for Vihiga governorship

Vihiga Senator George Khaniri has formally launched his 2022 bid for the county’s top job, joining a growing list of contenders.

The two-term senator threw his hat into the ring on Saturday and promised to transform the lives of the residents if elected the county boss next year.

He will battle it out with the incumbent Wilbur Ottichilo, Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi former governor Moses Akaranga and former county secretary Francis Ominde.

Khaniri said he has been under pressure to vie from voters who, he said, believe he can serve them better as governor.

“Having listened to the voices of the people from all the 25 wards and sought the guidance of the Almighty God, I have made up my mind to go for the governor’s seat in next year’s General Election.”

Speaking at Vihiga Cultural Grounds, Khaniri said most of the residents were impressed by his performance as a senator,” and they have been mounting pressure on me to go for the county top job.”

According to him, most of the residents are convinced that he will deliver as governor given his impressive development track record as a senator.

The senator lamented as stagnation in the county in the hands of Governor Otichillo and the latter’s predecessor, Akaranga.

“As regards our great county, a huge proportion of devolved functions under the care of the former governor, Akaranga and now Ottichilo, remain largely mismanaged, either due to lack of goodwill on the part of the two regimes or lack of capacity to execute the functions or both. It’s unfortunate that Vihiga County has nothing to show despite receiving more than Sh36 billion in the past two terms,” said Khaniri.

 “I dare say here that majority of the problems that Vihiga residents face have to do with poor planning, misplaced priorities, corruption, incompetence and failure to comply with various regulations.”

The senator said gaps in leadership and administration, coupled with poor management of the available resources-both financial and human, had resulted in stagnation of socio-economic development and killed the devolution dream “which we now seek to reverse”.

In attendance were Senators Enoch Wambua (Kitui), Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho) and former Lungari MP Cyrus Jirongo who all drummed up support for Khaniri.

They described Khaniri as the best bet to lead the county and urged the residents to give them a chance the serve them as their governor next year.

Mr Wambua said Khaniri’s long and successful career in politics had honed his leadership skills to handle greater challenges.

“After electing Khaniri for six terms as your MP and senator, I urge you to elevate him to the position of governor.  He might eventually become president. Groom him well,” Wambua told the people of Vihiga.

Wambua’s sentiments were echoed by Jirongo who declared Khaniri the only governorship aspirant capable of redeeming the county from underdevelopment and corruption.

“For you to see change similar to what is happening in other counties, elect a leader with the capacity to transform your county and that person is Khaniri, he is best suited for the job,” said Jirongo.