Machogu clashes with Arati in Kisii
Governor Simba Arati on Friday clashed with Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu at a burial in Kisii town.
What you need to know:
- Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu on Friday clashed with Governor Simba Arati at a burial in Kisii town, as political violence reared its ugly head again in the county.
- This was after mourners, who were mostly students, heckled the CS as he started to read a eulogy from President William Ruto during the funeral of Kisii National Polytechnic Principal Daniel Nyariki.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu on Friday clashed with Governor Simba Arati at a burial in Kisii town, as political violence reared its ugly head again in the county.
This was after mourners, who were mostly students, heckled the CS as he started to read a eulogy from President William Ruto during the funeral of Kisii National Polytechnic Principal Daniel Nyariki.
Mr Machogu had a difficult time addressing the mourners who booed him almost throughout his speech.
The Education CS also had to halt his address for more than 10 minutes when Mr Arati entered the function after mourners gave him a heroic welcome.
“Students from university or college, we have brought learning equipment. This Sh400, Sh500 being given to you is barbarity, foolishness and stupidity…. Will you, the Kisii community, allow that foolishness?” said the CS during his address as he blamed Mr Arati for the heckling.
Mr Machogu added, “Do you want us to accept that stupidity? We want to do development. If it is the governor, he has Sh15 billion, let him do development, not noise. Not noise…..noise must end in Kisii. As elders, we have seen a lot of stupidity here, we will come out and stop this barbarity. Our visitors who are from outside, this is not our tradition. Our tradition is respecting the dead, but there are young people who have come here and do not understand our traditions.”
The Cabinet Secretary then invited the newly posted Kisii County Commissioner Mr Joseph Kibet to address the gathering. Mr Kibet equally warned Governor Arati of the chaos in Kisii.
The CS then left the burial as Mr Arati stood to speak.
Mr Arati when addressing the gathering hit back at Mr Machogu, telling him, "they have stopped working and have perfected gossip."
“I want to ask my fellow leaders if you focus the strength you use to gossip in development, our country and county would experience tremendous growth. All this negative energy, let us use it for work,” said Mr Arati.
Mr Arati described the chaos being witnessed in Kisii as 'home ground terrorism' even as he fingered the CS for allegedly being behind the Kisii political violence.
“You have seen this person talking here…. He should not stand here lecturing me. He should thank the President for saving him from oblivion," the governor told the CS.
He described Mr Machogu as unpopular in the region due to the meagre votes he got in the last governorship race.
He further challenged him to another gubernatorial contest come 2027, vowing to defeat him again.
Mr Arati also told off the county commissioner saying, "You have been given work, do it. Don't bring threats here. If you want votes, go where you come from and look for them there. I cannot be a madman to pay all these people money to come for a funeral. If I had the powers, then you should fear."
