Don’t wish me death, Nyong'o tells 'enemies' as he recovers from surgery

Prof Nyong’o opens up on his hip bone surgery in the US and says he is free of prostate cancer [Denish Ochieng| Standard]

Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has expressed anger at political detractors he said were wishing him death as he recovers from a surgery to replace his hip bone.

Prof Nyong’o yesterday said he was recovering well after an operation at a San Francisco hospital in the United States but described those he accused of celebrating his illness as “heartless busy bodies”.

“While some godforsaken individuals are writing my obituary at home, I feel quite good about myself though I miss home very much,” Prof Nyong’o said in a long emotional opinion piece published in a local daily yesterday.

“At times, this can be extremely annoying and upsetting, especially when political busybodies reduce the important matter of one’s health to platform discourse, carried out for pure self-aggrandisement, in words that are insincere, dishonest, callous and absolutely uncivilised.”

Return home

Nyong’o said the experience and the rumours had made him know his enemies and friends.

His absence from office since mid-December has sparked political speculation among his colleagues, resulting in a fall-out among top officials in the county government.

This follows claims some of them were celebrating his illness.

Yesterday, Prof Nyong’o came out to confirm he has been indeed unwell but said he had recovered and was preparing to return home to continue with his work.

His confirmation is expected to bring to rest speculation that has hit Kisumu County over his health.

During his absence, a war of words broke out between his Deputy Mathews Owili, Senator Fred Outa and County Assembly Speaker Onyango Oloo. The Speaker and the Senator accused Dr Owilli of mismanaging the county in Nyong’o’s  absence, a claim the deputy governor denied.

In a statement, Nyong’o detailed why he sought medical help in the US and regretted that some people had tuned this into political gossip.

Hip replacement surgery

He said he had injured his hip bone in an accident on Kiambu Road in Nairobi in November 2016 but did not seek proper medication due to the campaigns.

The governor said doctors who examined him in Nairobi early this year after he started developing complications noticed a crack at the top of his hip bone and recommended further specialised medication.

“For almost a year, due to the constraints of the campaigns and election calendar, I have been surviving on painkillers, which have been regularly prescribed by my pain management doctor,” Prof Nyong’o said.

“Many may have observed me limping from time to time as we struggled for the betterment of our county and country.

“Without going into much detail, I have all along been waiting for an opportune moment for the hip replacement surgery as the last solution to my problem.“

He added: “My doctors have always told me that it is not a very complicated surgery. In many ways, it is more like repair work in a garage. The whole operation took 90 minutes.”

Nyong’o also used the opportunity to assure the people of Kisumu that he is now healed of the prostrate cancer he was diagnosed with in 2010.

He said that in July 2010, while he was Minister for Medical Services, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and he sought treatment in San Francisco, US..

“I was encouraged by the support I got from Kenyans, especially men who knew so little about prostate cancer. I thank God that I can now safely say that beast was successfully laid to rest,” the governor said.

Prof Nyong’o, who last week won an election petition filed by his predecessor Jack Ranguma, dispelled rumours he was still sick and could stay in the US longer than anticipated.

“I am already recovering from a 90-minute surgery a week ago, which saw the hipbone getting replaced with an artificial one,” he said.

“Currently, I am on outpatient care involving nursing care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and weekly visits to the doctor.”

In an apparent stab at those discussing his health, Nyong’o said: “Some of us who are workaholics need to remind ourselves that we are mere human beings, mortal and susceptible to all the dangers of poor health.”

He said it was National Super Alliance (NASA) leader leader Raila Odinga who advised him not to hurry coming back until he was sure all is well.

“I can now appreciate that advice. This was a major surgery, not as simple as I thought. There have been very trying times, but my wife Dorothy has always been there to give me the support and encouragement I need,” he said.