Stop supporting my opponents, Governor warns county workers

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa addresses a past function. [File, Standard]

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has warned county employees who support his political opponents, terming it an act of sabotage.

Barasa said he was aware of some of the county staff supporting his prospective rivals in the 2027 elections instead of advancing his agenda.

He was speaking after overseeing the signing of a contract between the county government and Jubilee Insurance to roll out a comprehensive medical insurance scheme for more than 7,500 county employees.

“I am aware that some of our community administrators, whom I have given work to do, instead of articulating issues affecting the residents in remote areas, their work is to attend political meetings. If you are an employee of Kakamega County and you have signed a code of ethics you must abide by the code of ethics,” said Barasa.

The Governor warned employees who engage in election campaigns that their days were numbered.

“If you start involving yourselves in early campaigns, attending political meetings to undermine the leadership of the county, I am putting you on notice. I want this message to reach ward administrators, field officers and other employees who have chosen to start early campaigns to support people who have no agenda for the people of Kakamega,” said Barasa.

Barasa said it was wrong for county employees to fail in helping achieve his pledges to the people when “his administration had gone out of its way to improve workers’ welfare despite the financial challenges facing county governments”.

Barasa’s remarks come barely a week after some ward administrators from the seven sub-counties held a meeting with Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale who has announced his interest in contesting for the governor seat in the 2027 General Election.

Khalwale, of the ruling UDA party, later told Barasa not to intimidate the administrators for meeting him.

Barasa, an ODM governor, has on several occasions termed Khalwale as a failure, non-performer, and a person who cannot lead the county and challenged him to show his track record for the time he served as Ikolomani Member of Parliament and as Kakamega Senator.

Also expected to be in the race for the governor seat is Kakamega Women Representative Elsie Muhanda.