Gusii Declaration,support Matiang’i for Presidency.
Written by RadioVuna on October 19, 2020
Kisii and Nyamira counties political leaders want President Uhuru Kenyatta to pick Interior Cabinet Fred Matiangi as his successor.
The declaration was made in a joint meeting at Kisii Agricultural Training Center on Sunday evening by a section of leaders from both counties.
Led by Kisii Governor James Ongwae and Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama, firmly stood on ambition on CS Matiangi saying he has what it takes to go for the country’s top seat.
“As a community, we have resolved to support him having assessed his capability, and going through his performances in government,” said Kisii Woman Rep Janet Ongera who read the statement.
The leaders have already met the president and given him the demands.
They would be looking forward to him to ratify them when he leads the nation in marking Mashujaa in Kisii on Tuesday.
They said Matiangi has what it takes to lead the country and urged the President to endorse him.
The meeting of the Gusii leaders marked the first final push for the President to look away from his Deputy President and ODM leader Raila Odinga when shopping for his successor.
In the communique, the leaders said the community has come of age – and in political numbers-to also dictate the political direction of the country.
“It is time other communities also supported our quest for the country’s top leadership position,” said Ongera.
The statement was signed by the two Governors and Senators Okongo Omogeni (Nyamira) and Sam Ongeri (Kisii).
Woman Rep Janet Ongera and MP’s Ezekiel Machogu (Nyaribari Masaba ), Richard Tongi (Nyaribari Chache) also endorsed the demands.
Others include Oroo Ogioka (Bonchari), Jimmy Angwenyi (Kitutu Chache North) Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache South) and Zadock Ogutu (Bomachoge Borabu)
From Nyamira, the joint communique to support Matiangi for the presidency was okayed by Borabu MP Ben Momanyi and Woman Rep Jerusha Momanyi.
In Kisii, the politicians said they want the region’s youth to be empowered ‘not with handouts and wheelbarrows’ but through sustainable programs aimed at leveraging their economy.
Ongera said as leaders they have already forwarded the list of the demands to the president and are looking forward to affirming them when he presides Mashujaa Tuesday.
“We did a meeting with him and looks forward to the President to ratify them,” said Ongera.
The leaders said they support the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) adding that it presents opportunities to address the country’s key challenges among them employment for youth.
Ms Ongera said they further push to debt forgiveness by the president to coffee farmers.
The leaders said only coffee farmers from the region still have loans to service when their counterparts from Mount Kenya had theirs forgiven by the Head of State.
The leaders further called for a state-funded economic stimulus program to boost farmers in the tea sector.
Many of the tea farmers from the region earn low rate bonuses from the crop.
Others have since begun to uproot the crop citing poor income.
The political leaders also want more professionals to be picked into state jobs as the country moves to pick a new president in 2022.
