Top county officials quit plum positions to seek elective seats

 

Homa Bay Secretary Isaiah Ogwe (left) presents his resignation letter to Governor Cyprian Awiti. [James Omoro, Standard]

Various officials in Homa Bay and Migori counties have resigned to vie for elective seats.

The law requires public officers intending to contest to resign six months to the elections.

In Homa Bay, County Secretary Isaiah Ogwe, Energy Executive Beatrice Ogola and Governor Cyprian Awiti’s secretary Maren Agar have quit. 

Mr Ogwe resigned on Wednesday to contest Homa Bay governor seat. 

“In life, we must make decisions. The decision I have made today is about lifting the people of Homa Bay,” he said. Ogwe said his experience in the public service since 1987 accords him the ability to serve as governor. 

He cited Homa Bay stadium, Arujo Animal Feeds plant and Kigoto Maize Mill as some of the projects he will complete.

The chairman of the Lake Basin Development Authority Odoyo Owidi also resigned. Owidi is eyeing the Kasipul parliamentary seat.

“It has been great honour serving my country at this level,” Owidi said in his resignation letter.

Ogola is eyeing the Homa Bay Woman Rep while Agar is vying for the Suba South parliamentary seat. 

In Migori, six civil servants have resigned. More than 20 civil servants in the county and national governments in Migori have been angling for political seats.

Former Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno resigned as a member of Salaries and Remuneration Commission to focus on his bid to replace Migori Governor Okoth Obado who is serving his second and last term. County executives Isca Oluoch (Public Service), Valentine Ogongo (Agriculture), Rebecca Maroa (Water and Energy) and Elijah Odhiambo of Lands tendered their resignation letters. They are set to hand over their offices. The four are eying Awendo MP, Suna West MP, governor and Suna East MP seats, respectively.

Director of Sports Sylus Jonyo also resigned to seek the Awendo MP seat while Migori Assembly Principal Finance Officer Evans Ogutu will focus on the Uriri MP race.

Try my luck

“I have been more of a politician than a civil servant. I had vied in the last two polls without success. I am going to try my luck again in the Suna West parliamentary race,” Ogongo told the press in his office.

Maroa said she had declared her interest to be governor and with the resignation, she will be more active on the campaign trail.

She is the second woman to publicly declare her bid for the governor seat after Migori Woman Rep Pamela Odhiambo. They will battle it out with 10 male aspirants.

“We did well as a county under Obado despite numerous challenges. We are out to make Migori a better place and hopefully make it the next Konza City,” Maroa said.

By the time of going to the press, it was not clear if County Secretary Christopher Rusana who had been endorsed by elders last year to vie for governor seat had resigned. Sources in his office said he was on official duty in Nairobi.

However, Kephers Nyamita of Health department, who had declared interest in Rongo MP seat and Sheila Gati of Trade, who had planned to vie for Woman Rep have withdrawn and will remain in office.

Last week, David Osiany, the CAS Ministry of Industrialisation put rumours to rest when he declared he was not going to resign to vie for Rongo parliamentary seat.