POLITICS
Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga. [File, Standard]
Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga is in a spot for allegedly spending more money, from the county emergency fund, than had been budgeted for in the fight against Covid-19.
In a virtual meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Health on Tuesday, Mr Rasanga was hard-pressed to explain where he got Sh115 million for Covid-19 related activities yet the money allocated to the county emergency fund was Sh100 million.
The Auditor General’s special audit report on utilisation of Covid-19 funds by counties, flagged over-expenditure from the county emergency fund in Siaya.
“It was established that as of July 31, 2020, Sh115,884,928 had been committed for Covid-19-related activities, which was against the approved budget allocated to the county emergency fund for Covid-19 purposes,” read the statement in part. But the governor said the county only spent Sh100 million and not Sh115 million as the special audit report indicated
THE STANDARD
NYANZA
The Newly constructed Siaya County Headquarters.
The face of Siaya town has tremendously changed thanks to devolution that has not only attracted investors in the once sleepy, dusty town but seen the initiation of a number of projects.
Development projects are slowly changing the fortunes of the town that has struggled to find a footing despite it being the headquarters of the county but questions have been raised on the amount spent on some of the projects.
Siaya town has grown from a market formally known as Ahindi years ago to the district headquarters and now to county headquarters.
April 23rd 2021 at 08:00:00 GMT +0300
The 2022 General Election is just a stone throw away. Those eyeing various seats are positioning themselves in readiness for the murky campaigns while the incumbent are nervous to death.
Of particular interest to political observers are governors, who have concluded their tenure in office having served the constitutionally permitted two term limit but are still in their prime ages. They are unlikely to retreat into political oblivion at a time the country is heading into its fourth republic.
These governors, who hold a lot of sway in regional politics, include include Wycliffe Operanya (Kakamega), Ali Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Amason Kingi (Kilifi), Alfred Mutua (Machakos), Prof Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) and Mwangi wa Iria (Muranga).
THE STANDARD
Former UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi. [David Njaaga, Standard]
A number of former leaders from Western and Nyanza regions, some who have been in the political cold for over a decade, are plotting a comeback in 2022 General Election.
They are banking their hopes on the ongoing political realignments in the two regions and nationally.
The politicians are angling to fill the seats to be left by governors who are serving their final terms.
Such governors are Wycliffe Oparanya, (Kakamega), Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia), Cornel Rasanga (Siaya), James Ongwae (Kisii), Okoth Obado (Migori) and Cyprian Awiti (Homa Bay).
Some of the leaders aiming to try their luck in next year s General Election have been coalescing around political kingpins.
The Orange Democratic Movement leader said so in apparent reference to remarks by Deputy President William Ruto.
The DP and his allies, while wooing supporters ahead of the 2022 General Election, have told them not to trust “
mganga ( a witchdoctor)” and “
Mr Odinga said, “They keep calling me
mganga. I am not a witch doctor. I’m a Christian who attends church services regularly but I do not boast about it.”
The ODM boss noted that several miracles have taken place in his life and that he cannot embrace “the dark forces of witchcraft”.
“What I do not like doing is boasting about my Christianity. I pray that God may help unite our country.”