Kisii Governor Simba Arati Friday scoffed off the alleged bid by former Governor James Ongwae to sponsor former Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital boss Dr Enoch Ondari to run against him in the 2027 polls. He said he was not a coward and dared those who want to challenge him in the 2027 polls to make good of their threats. “This seat is open to all, to those who feell can challenge me just come, let’s meet in the ballot that time,” the governor said at a burial in Magenche in Bomachoge Borabu. He told mourners that to ‘gleefully partake…
Author: Magati Obebo
The country’s sculpture legend Elkana Ongesa is dead. He had been receiving treatment at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital. A family member said Ongesa has been battling cancer for a while before he passed on early Thursday. The known art lover was thrust into fame and global recognition by many of his gargantuan soapstone carvings He hailed from Tabaka, in South Mugirango in Kisii, a region with rich deposits of soapstone. At a past interview with this writer, he said he learnt the sculpting from his grandfather and his father. In his formative years he started with clay- molding…
The Chinese government plans to cascade its partnerships to Counties in the broader efforts aimed at deepening its ties with the country. Country ambassador Zhou Pingjiani said sub-government bilateral engagements would help and leverage the devolved units grow at a faster pace. “China is committed to deepen its cooperation and warm relationships with Kenya.” “We believe the Sub-government units can play a big role and that informs my visit to Kisii today,” Pingjiani said. He was hosted by Kisii County Governor Simba Arati during the Tuesday morning visit. China, added Pingjiani, would leverage on its rich experience in afro-processing to…
The Senate Tuesday wrote to Kisii Governor Simba Arati to appear before its Public Accounts Committee sitting or risk arrest. Arati has been in the cross hairs of the House for months for constantly skipping various committee invites. On Tuesday, the Senate through a letter addressed to him gave him a final warning that shall he fail to appear before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee to explain audit queries on financial reports 2021 /2022 and 2022 /2923 he will be arrested. The Senate mulls especially using the police to ferry Arati to the sittings should he he fails to…
Residents of Ibacho, Masaba South Sub-County in Kisii, Friday appealed to the County authorities to undertake repair roads in the area. With the onset of rains many of the road repairs have since turned into muddy paths slowing down transportation of produce to markets. Villagers, in dozens, Friday drew into the Ibacho to protest against the deplorable roads further vowing a string of more if no action is taken. “I am here to protest not because am against the governor but because of poor services from his administration,” John Getwambu told journalists. The heavy rains have worsened the state of…
Governor Simba Arati Thursday cited his marriage to a foreigner among many reasons Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka was unhappy with him. Arati who appeared before the Senate’s Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee meeting accused Onyonka of constantly going personal in his oversight of role of him. So deep rooted are Onyonka’s personal biases, stated Arati, that he was not even happy with ‘my marriage to a Chinese wife’. Onyonka, however, said he found the accusations ‘ troubling, grotesque, wild and playing into the comedy gallery’. “I actually have no issue with the governor’s Chinese wife,” he stated. The Governor was…
A caucus of Bobasi Ward Reps in Kisii want Governor Simba Arati to resign from office citing luck lustre performance in his two years in office. Speaking Friday, the MCAs unanimously resolved to withdraw their support from him describing him as a flop. “When you went round asking people to vote you as governor, you should should have known what you were going to do. If you’re not able to execute development , if you’re not able to fulfill the promises that you gave to the people, kindly resign and go home so that people would have another opportunity to…
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka Thursday accused a local politician of bank rolling violent extremism in the region. He placed the same politician at the centre of Tuesday afternoon chaos and destruction of the building housing Kisii Woman Rep Donya Toto offices. At least 17 suspects, among them a Ward Representative, have since been arrested and arraigned for malicious damage to property. The suspects would return to court on December 4 for a mention and were were released on Sh10,000 cash bail each. And shortly after the ruling, at least three Ward Reps from Bobasi reported being assaulted by goons as…
Kisii Deputy Speaker Jacob Bagaka has denied claims that he sponsored attacks on three colleagues attending a funeral in his Ward Wednesday after. Instead, the Masige West Ward Representative said the utterances by MCAs Michael Motume (Masige East), Thomas Obare (Bassi Boitangare) and Naftal Onkoba (Nyacheki) attracted wrath from Governor Simba Arati supporters who were at the scene. “I was not in my ward throughout Wednesday, the day they are claiming they visited there but i gather they had lashed out at the governor when they were given chance to condole the visited family,” Bagaka spoke by phone early Thursday.…
A visit by three Kisii Ward Representatives to a funeral in Bobasi Wednesday afternoon nearly turned tragic after armed goons waylaid and attacked them with crude weapons. The three – Michael Motume (Masige East ) Naftal Onkoba (Nyacheki) and Thomas Obare (Boitangare) said they escaped death by a whisker during the late Wednesday incident in Masige West Ward. They said only when they collectively decided to face off the goons they were able to get off danger. With the help of some youth keeping vigil at the bereaved family, the three were rescued and escorted out. “We could be in…
A Kisii Ward Representative was Wednesday arraigned for malicious damage to property. Gaudencia Omariba was arraigned alongside 16 youths rounded up by police late Tuesday. They were earlier taken in for questioning in connection with to a raid at Kisii Woman Representative Donya Toto’s offices before being arraigned Wednesday afternoon. Among the suspects were two high school students out on vacation and a male suspect with sight challenges. Property worth Sh200,000 was vandalized, prosecution told the court. They were charged with the offence of malicious damage to property contrary to Section 339(1) of the Penal Code. The particulars were that…
Women Representatives visiting Kisii Monday said Female Genital Mutilation still constitutes a big threat to the general wellbeing of the girl child. The war against the vice, the leaders observed, was far from being won calling for sustained efforts in addressing the problem. “Beyond public utterances made from forums like this, let’s increase surveillance in the villages so that we can bring this to an end,” Donya Toto asked villagers at Gesieka area in Kitutu Chache North in Kisii. Migori Woman Rep Fatuma Mohamed said FGM leaves scars that haunt girls into their adulthood. She fingered women as the main…
Authorities in Kisii say more health staff are set for recruitment to shore up the existing shortage. County Health Executive Ronald Nyakweba said already plans are afoot to do an advert for the same. The advert would be out as early as next week, he told journalists. “Recruiting more nurses and doctors is testament to our Governor’s effort in increasing access to affordable health care for our people,” stated Nyakweba. He spoke early Monday when he flagged off drug haul costing Sh68 m to more than 160 hospitals across the County. Three agencies, among them Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA),…
Senator Richard Onyonka wants Governor Simba Arati to explain the expenditure of Sh24 billion disbursed for two years from Treasury to Kisii. Onyonka further clarified that his push for political hygiene in the regional administration was not premised on politics of hatred but the need to make the combative Kisii County boss accountable. “I am not against him for those peddling such a narrative, am only vouching for responsibility and accountability on him to perform,” stated Onyonka. Senator Onyonka was speaking exclusively Monday to this journalist in a phone interview. The two leaders- Onyonka and Arati – had in the…
Kisii Governor Simba Arati was Wednesday flagged by the Senate for disparaging the House Committee summons. Also fingered was Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo. So worrying is the trend that Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said they are mulling using the police to forcefully escort the pair during the next summons if need. “It shows great contempt and if it is getting this low we can ask the Inspector General of Police to bring them to these sitings,” Cherargei warned. Cherargei had tabled a statement in the House Wednesday morning to address the persistent abscondments by two governors from committee invitations. Many…
Gusii leaders meeting in Nairobi Wednesday said they are ready to unite and champion the community’s development agenda together. It is the second attempt by leaders from the region to advance Omogusii unity after the first flopped in 2018. The meeting at Serena Hotel in Nairobi brought together Members of Parliament, Senators, and other leaders from both Kisii and Nyamira counties. They said they are determined to prioritize the needs of the residents. They would further strategize on leveraging government support under the new broad-based political alignment. Senator Richard Onyonka, a key figure in the meeting, expressed optimism about the…