HOPE FOR BETTER PROSPECTS AS GOVERNOR AWITI MEETS MPS
Homa bay governor Cyprian Awiti has directed members of his Executive to share the County’s development progress reports with Members of Parliament to help improve accountability and cooperation. Mr Awiti said he will also personally regularly meet the MPs to brief them on the state of the county.
He was speaking at a Nairobi hotel on Tuesday night when he met Five of the Eight MPs during a dinner also attended by his deputy Hamilton Orata, members of the Executive committee, Chief Officers and County Secretary, Mr Isaiah Ogwe.
Mr Awiti said he had invited the Mps to brief them on the forth coming Hom Bay International Investors’ Conference to be held in Homa Bay next month. He also took the MPs through the county’s development achievement since 2013.
“We must unite and work as a team to help propel Homa Bay to desired development status. I am therefore directing Members of my cabinet to directly engage the MPs on our achievements and challenges without fear,” said the governor.
Members of Parliament at the meeting included ODM National Chairman and Suba MP, John Mbadi, chairperson of Homa Bay MPs caucus and Mbita MP, Millie Odhiambo, Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay), George Oner ( Rangwe), Augustino Neto (Ndhiwa) and his Karachuonyo counterpart James Rege. Senator Moses Kajwang sent his apologies.
The governor and the MPs said the on-going political squabbles in the county over the ODM elections was normal in a democracy and pledged to work as a team.
The meeting brought together Mr Mbadi and Mr Kaluma who have been squabbling over the County ODM leadership. Mr Mbadi supported Women Representative Gladys Wanga for post against Mr Kaluma who has accused the Party’s elections board of antagonizing the people of Homa Bay by imposing leaders on them.
This is peaceful County. We can quarrel but we will never fight, “said Karachuonyo MP James Rege.
Mr Awiti supported him saying: “What we are seeing in Homa Bay is a normal occurrences in areas whereby there is strong democracy. I don’t think there is any cause for alarm.”
The legislators thanked Mr Awiti for hosting the consultative talks, saying it will mark the dawn of a new political cooperation in Homa Bay. They also endorsed the County’s forthcoming Investors’ conference and pledged to help mobilize investors to attend.
“This meeting could have come much earlier but it’s still not very late. We need to meet as county leaders to share ideas. We are here to assure the county government of our support,” said Mr Mbadi.
Mr Rege told Mr Awiti to disregard accusations from some of his critics saying he had done his best in the past three years.
Mr Kaluma said the County government was doing a good job and challenged members of the Executive to ‘go out” and speak to the people about the projects they have done. “Don’t just sit in your offices. Go out there and talk to the people,” said Mr Kaluma.
The MPs asked the governor to lay emphasis on infrastructure, water and the fishing industry.
They congratulated the County government for convincing the Kenya Airports Authority to renovate the Kabunde Airstrip. This was after the governor told them Two airlines were set to start commercial flights to Homa Bay towards the end of the month.