At least 30 Kisii Ward representatives Thursday defied Governor Simba Arati and overwhelmingly boycotted a scheduled visit to the State House with him.
Many of those who remained described the tour a “sheer waste of time and resources.”
They all termed it a calculated scheme by the State to “bring down Dr Fred Matiangi” who has shown interest to succeed William Ruto.
During a press conference at a Kisii hotel Thursday morning they said any discourses about development can still be done away from State House.
“When you look at the itinerary, this tour is more about photo ops than real conversations. We have pressing issues in our wards that need our attention,” said one MCA
Minority Leader Denis Ombachi accused Arati of failing to consult extensively before making the trip.
“I would have wished there were more broad consultations because definitely there is more going south in his administration. Hospitals are sick, roads are pathetic, these all need attention. With better consultations we could have done better proposals …I think we got it all wrong,” he said.
Ombachi said of the Sh60 billion Kisii has received for the last three years, there was little on the ground to celebrate devolution
“With all factors constant we could have by now invested more than Sh400 m in each of our wards but this is not what we are witnessing.”
“What am asking our dear governor it stop being lethargic and being to consciously invest in the people that these trips,” he reasoned.
Bassi Bointagare MCA Thomas Obare rubbished the visit saying it was an already “failed scheme by President William Ruto to bring down Fred Matiangi which they are not buying into”.
“If it was about development, the counties receive their alloted revenue share each year that is why the invite to Statehouse lack substantive merit,” he told journalists.
He said though the Ward Reps had said the visited Ruto for development, no Ward Rep was given opportunity to ask the president anything.
“I have actually seen the videos and I have not anywhere they have engaged the president if truly it was about development. I praise those who refused to go but equally ask Matiangi to read the visit by the Ward Reps as not only a betrayal but an open war on his candidature,” he observed.
Nyatieko MCA described the visit by Arati as “motivated by” ego and the rush to protect himself from Investigations into graft at the County, stated Amos Mokaya.
Lilian Gor, a nominee termed the visit immoral.
She said it was unwise especially for the governor at a time when there were huge pending bills.
“Let’s hope he is possibly he is coming with enough to pay the pending bills as well as address the devastating health care in his county,” she told journalist.
Under the current constitution, Gor observed, counties are autonomous and can handle their issues away from grovelling statehouse tours.
“Essentially this is why we have the constitution and if there were any issues then we have an intergovernmental authority to address it,” she stated.
Gor said already the Governor cannot substantively account for what he has received from Treasury.
“I think before we engage Statehouse let’s show what we have done with what we have received,” she said.
Kisii Central MCA Monyenye Yoge said the trip to State House lacked clear objectives and substances.
The visit was organized by Governor Arati together with a section of Kenya Kwanza leaders.
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