Kisii governor James Ongwae sacrificed his friend the speaker of the county assembly David Kombo who was removed from the seat in exchange of the Building Bridges Initiative campaigns. Ongwae has gone down on his knees appealing to MCAs to pass the bill once it comes to the floor. Ongwae who is the pioneer of the BBI consultative meetings where he hosted its proponents led by opposition leader Raila Odinga and Interior CS Fred Matiang’i at the Kisii Sports Club has been spending sleepless nights pondering on how to win the 69 MCAs to back the bill which has not been read and understood. Those who know him well say, the governor is able to read the mind and body language of those he is engaging just smiling but seriously making decisions.
David Kombonull
In a week long discussion meeting at the Coast where the governor was joined by his deputy Joash Maangi after reaching a truce during the burial of his father Abel Gongera to pave way for the 2022 general election political line-ups, the MCAs gave one condition of first removing Kombo. Maangi who is supporting deputy president William Ruto’s political wing of wheelbarrow has been reading from the different script of his boss who is supporting the handshake between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila. Kombo who hails from South Mugirango constituency succeeded pioneer assembly speaker Kerosi Ondieki who hailed from Nyaribari Chache constituency and disappeared from the lineup when he started fighting Ongwae. Kerosi has been overheard saying, the governor understands larger Gusii politics well and can cause upsets if pushed to the wall. To Kerosi, Maangi’s survival hangs on Ongwae and the deputy governor knows very well. The MCAs unanimously reached out for Amos Onderi, who is elected on an ODM party ticket from Bokimonge ward in Bomachoge Borabu constituency where he will be deputized by Devins Ngoge of PDP Masige East ward in the neighbouring Bobasi constituency.
James Ongwae
The move was seen as a political boost for Maangi because the leader of majority Timothy Ogugu from Magenche ward in Bomachoge Borabu constituency and the leader of minority James Ondari of Boochi Tendere ward in Bomachoge Chache constituency both hail from the Abamachoge clan where Maangi is the political kingpin. But others say, the move has not been received well in certain quarters who argue, Maangi is pushing for his clansmen to land top positions at the assembly at the expense of others. The MCAs have been on Kombo’s throat for the last three months where at one time they replaced him with his deputy over misuse of office and corruption but they could not get Governor Ongwae’s blessings since he had not been briefed fully. The assembly has 45 elected MCAs and 24 nominated MCAs with Bobasi constituency having eight, Bomachoge Chache three, Bomachoge Borabu four, Bonchari four, Kitutu Chache North four, Kitutu Chache South five, Nyaribari Chache six, Nyaribari Masaba five and South Mugirango six MCAs.
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