Former Kisii County Governor James Ongwae has rubbished the planned demonstrations in Kisii by Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
The former County chief was terse in his press briefing on his former boss, Raila Odinga, claiming that the Azimio supremo is doing a disservice to the Abagusi region. Azimio coalition leader Raila Odinga has had a flurry of anti-Ruto campaigns in some parts of the country, especially in Nairobi – but he is now planning to have a mega rally in Kisii, next week. Coincidentally, it is also rumoured that the President is planning to visit the region.
The former Kisii County Governor is now agitated that Raila’s rallies are not meant to benefit the region, but instead to portray the two Abagusi counties (of Kisii and Nyamira) as anti government. “I plead with our leaders not to accept any shenanigans that are meant to paint our region as rebellious and disadvantage it from the much planned development projects by President Ruto,” said the former Kisii County Governor.
Ongwae challenged the unnamed leaders who are organising rallies in Kisii to also allow the community to benefit from national government development initiatives – just like their regions had done.
“Previously, and in the last few months, president Ruto has visited various regions and initiated several development projects, lately being a visit to Luo Nyanza, and in some instances some of us were present and we witnessed the president’s generosity,” Ongwae said.
“In the same spirit, we welcome the president to our Gusii region and condemn any attempts to cause uneasiness and whip emotions of our people with the aim of imagining that they can delay the visit.”
The former Kisii County Governor used to be a key figure in Azimio leader’s political life. He contested Kisii gubernatorial seat on an (ODM) Orange Democratic Movement ticket in 2013, and in 2017 and won in the two elections. In the last general election, James Ongwae was one of the exiting governors who were campaigning for Raila Odinga’s presidential bid in the entire country. However, the former Kisii County Governor would change his political tune when reality downed on him that Raila did not win the Presidency, but instead, Ruto did. He is now an ardent supporter of the sitting President William Ruto, and has since distanced himself from anything ODM or Raila.
