Kisii County gubernatorial race hots up

Kisii County Senator Chris Obure has challenged South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya Onyongo for a road race from Nyangusu to Kisii town – about 20km – to determine who between them is fit to hold the office of the governor of Kisii County.

This is after Nyamweya, who has declared his intention to contest for the Kisii gubernatorial seat, asked Obure to retire from politics to allow younger aspirants like him and other younger aspirants like Lumumba Nyaberi to wrestle it out.

Addressing mourners at Nyagiki Village in Bobasi Constituency during the burial of veteran planner Bosire Ogero, Oyongo likened Obure to his father politically, saying it was not good for a father to fight with his son for a lady – referring to the gubernatorial seat.

“I respect Senator Obure as my political father. I have identified this lady (gubernatorial seat) and I want to marry her, as an African, I don’t expect my father to fight me over the same lady. Kindly retire from politics and let me marry this lady,” Oyongo said.

Oyongo, who will contest the seat in a KNC ticket, has been calling on Obure and Prof Ongeri to retire from politics to pave way for the young and energetic leaders.

Oyongo has spoken of his development agenda in South Mugirango as key to his gubernatorial bid.

“I have served my people well as a Member of Parliament and have fulfilled all that I promised them. I feel am the right person to transform the county if elected governor,” said Nyamweya.

However, when Obure stood to address the mourners, he received cheers from mourners when he asked them whether he was old as Oyongo had claimed, adding that the latter could not beat him in a race from Nyangusu to Kisii town because he understands the terrain better than.

“Mheshimiwa Oyongo has said that am old and should retire from politics, I want to ask you people of this area, do I look old?” posed Obure amid cheers from the mourners and then continued, “If I cross to Bonyagatanyi village over there, will I not come back with a beautiful lady?”

Obure, who has declared that he will contest on a Jubilee ticket, after ditching ODM, said that he understands the problems facing people of Kisii County better than all other contestants.

“If Oyongo thinks he can defeat me, I challenge him for a race from Nyangusu to Kisii town, that is when he will realize that I understand this county more than him,” Obure said.

Wiper party gubernatorial aspirant, Lumumba Nyaberi, who attended the burial, challenged Obure to explain why he is against Ongwae, yet he championed for his election in 2013.

During the 2013 elections, Obure played a key role in the election of Governor James Ongwae, when he led the ODM brigade in campaigning for the party in the county, where the party won the senatorial, gubernatorial, county women representative and majority in the county assembly.

The race for the Kisii gubernatorial seat is slowly taking shape with three candidates so far declaring their interest to unseat the incumbent, James Ongwae of ODM.