Suspension of the weekly anti-government demonstrations appears to be a silent but major reprieve for Governors from Opposition Chief Raila Odinga’s strongholds.
The Nation has established that the county bosses have been in a dilemma battling with party loyalty and supporting the Azimio leader’s course and dealing with the negative effects that came with the anti-government protests.
The protests also placed the governors in a difficult position having to grapple with a dented image nationally and globally, a drop in own source revenue collection, investor confidence, and a lack of goodwill from the national government on a number of development projects.
On Wednesday, last week, Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o at a press conference late in the evening looked a bit bewildered, and disturbed, but at the same time wore a brave face amidst the chaos that had rocked his county during the protests.
Governor Nyong’o was flanked by a delegation of politicians, among them his Deputy Dr Mathew Owili, Kisumu speaker Elisha Jack Oraro, and a host of MCAs and ODM party officials, whose facial expressions were not any different than the governor’s.
The two-week-long anti-government protests had taken a toll on them, with Kisumu having the first casualty, a Maseno University student, and a host of businesses being vandalized and looted and other establishments getting damaged.
And during the press conference, the county boss made a short statement, reversing an earlier directive to suspend the demonstrations in the county, to allow supporters of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition principals to hold demos in Nairobi.
Bowing to pressure from various quarters including Mr Odinga, other coalition legislators and residents, Governor Nyong’o said he had been encouraged by the resolve of Azimio supporters to continue with the demonstrations.
“We have therefore been urged by our people to continue with the peaceful demonstrations tomorrow and we shall do so. We, therefore, urge you to turn out in large numbers and join other Kenyans in this liberation movement,” said the Governor.
When the Nation asked him whether it is a tough time for him, his response was in the affirmative.
“Fighting for rights and enjoying the fruits of that fight is always not easy. When we were struggling for second liberation, it took a lot of perseverance. I know it is painful for me and I have taken that into consideration just to make sure that productivity in terms of work continues,” said Prof Nyong’o.
The governor had said he had issue with some criminals who were taking advantage of the protests to loot and destroy property in the lakeside city.
“You saw what happened on Monday, thugs taking over the city and if you are a governor, it is painful and that is why I have been asking our people to be peaceful when protesting and not destroy properties,” said Prof Nyong’o.
In Homa Bay, Governor Gladys Wanga was also facing the same predicament.
Since being sworn in, the county government has recorded the highest ever revenue collection. Traders are paying taxes using mobile phones.
Traders at Homa Bay Town Market, however, said the first anti-government protests in March 20 caused them a Sh2 million loss.
But even as she supports the demos, the impact of the weekly pickets was immense, with the county registering a worrying low collection.
The county government collected a paltry Sh438 on March 20, the first day of the protest.
Mr Jack Nyambega, the chairman of Homa Bay Traders’ Association said business at the market supports a lot of families in the agriculture supply chain.
"Some farmers supply their produce daily to the market. A day of protest means their supply, especially fruits and vegetables will go bad," he said.
"When Baba (Mr Odinga) says right, it is right. If he says left, it is left," she said while responding to questions asked by a group of youths when she visited the county teaching and referral hospital on Wednesday March 22.
According to her, the freedom that Kenyans enjoy today is because of the struggles put by the ODM leader.
"The devolution and constitutional dispensation we enjoy today are because of his and other people’s sacrifices and commitment. This will never be erased in the annals of our history. We support his quest for electoral justice and reduced cost of living," she said.
But amidst the calls for protests, the governor is also banking on support from the State to develop Homa Bay.
President William Ruto's government is currently undertaking several projects in Homa Bay including the construction of affordable houses, roads, fish market and the rehabilitation of piers along the shores of Lake Victoria.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa was one of the county chiefs in a dilemma on whether to support or reject the calls by Mr Odinga for anti-government protests in region, a predominantly ODM stronghold.
A day before Mr Odinga called off the protests, Governor Barasa had asked the ODM leader to give a chance to dialogue with President William Ruto, arguing the demonstrations were destroying businesses in the regions.
Mr Barasa cited the drop in the revenue collection in the county and said it would be a good idea if the Azimio leader halted the countrywide protests.
He appeared to change tune, a day after Mr Odinga called off the protests and defended the decision by the Azimio leaders to spearhead the protests on Monday and Thursday.
Mr Barasa accused Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of impeding the dialogue between Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga on the demands made by the Azimio leaders to the Kenya Kwanza administration including calls to address the high cost of basic commodities, open the election servers used by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in the 2022 presidential election and halting of the ongoing process of recruiting new IEBC commissioners.
“The right to picket is enshrined in our constitution and police are to blame for [firing] teargas [during] peaceful protests by Azimio leaders leading to chaos. We are asking the Deputy President to stop being an obstacle to dialogue between President Ruto and Mr Odinga,” said Mr Barasa.
- By Rushdie Oudia, George Odiwuor and Benson Amadala
