By Eric Lungai  

VIHIGA, KENYA: After clinching the Vihiga gubernatorial seat, Reverend Moses Akaranga dreams big for the seemingly scantily developed county. 

The Governor admits he has an uphill task in making sure the county competes favourably with the rest. A forrmer Cabinet Minister, Akaranga is upbeat about the good prospects of the county despite the tough challenges ahead.

He says he is prepared to tackle the challenges and make the county one of the best performers.

Akaranga has thus rolled up his sleeves, pledging to toil hard to achieve what he promised during elections.

“I think by the end of my term, my body size will have reduced drastically and that may prompt the citizens to offer me a second chance because of the work that I will have done for them,” he says jokingly.

Akaranga, who is deputised by Caleb Amaswachi, says that the two of them make up a competitive team, which has been entrusted with the leadership of the county.

And Vihiga residents have high expectations of the man whom they say should not only be a leader, but also highly insightful and creative in such a way that he can change the county for the better.

Akaranga notes that the county is arguably one of the poorest and densely populated in the country, and is continually infamous for food deficit. He says that the county’s high population growth rate cannot be sustained by the infrastructure.

Abject poverty

“Adverse poverty indicators deter attainment of food security, as demand escalates every year,” says the governor.

Akaranga regrets that about 57.6 per cent of the population lives below poverty line and malnutrition continues to be a thorn in the flesh for most residents.

To tackle these challenges, Akaranga notes that he is an expert communicator who will seek to pursue professionalism, develop resources and enhance community livelihood advancement through a participatory leadership style.

“I will work to encourage the unique brilliance and innate potential that exists in every individual in the county,” he says.

The governor says top on his agenda will be eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, making sure that the county can be able to feed its populace.

Agriculture sector

“I will make sure that agriculture is boosted in this region,” he says. The county experiences an acute deficiency of major revenue generating resources.

Nevertheless, Akaranga says that the only way to save Vihiga is by turning its fortunes around by attracting investors from all corners of the world.

The county chief also notes unemployment as the major challenge facing his people. He says he is going to ensure that job opportunities are created especially for the youth so that they can be able to sustain their lives.

“I will work closely for the people and primarily work for the creation of employment in the county so that the youth can benefit fully,” he says.

He also says that he is going to embark on developing the infrastructure in the region, improve healthcare and boost the education sector.

Akaranga says that he is going to work hard in improving education by making one of the middle level colleges such as Friends College Kaimosi a fully-fledged university.

“By having a university in the county, our children will access education easily,” he says.

On healthcare, the governor has pledged to construct a referral hospital in the county.

Speaking during the World Malaria Day celebrations in the county at Gambogi market grounds last week, his deputy said that the county has enough resources to sustain a referral hospital instead of depending on other counties.

“We cannot continue relying on Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret when we have the capacity and the resources to build one of our own,” said Amaswachi.

He said that in the next five years, one of their agendas will be to source for funds from donors so as to construct the referral hospital.

He said that by promoting healthcare, the county’s leadership will be investing in the future and helping in sustaining the Millennium Development Goals.  

The two are also promising to tarmac most of the feeder roads in the county to ease mobility and make various markets in the county easily accessible.

Insecurity has been an issue in the county and Akaranga says that proper mechanisms will be put in place through his guidance to curb the menace that has given residents sleepless nights.

Tourism industry

The governor notes that Vihiga County has a great potential for tourism, which lies unexploited. “The county is dotted with scenic rocks and hills. From Shamakhokho along the road in Hamisi through Gisambai and Majengo there are scenic hills and valleys and tea plantations,” he notes, pledging to facilitate the growth of tourism sector.

Remembered for having ousted the then vice president Musalia Mudavadi from his seat in 2002 as the Sabatia legislator, Akaranga says that he expects cooperation from the people since they have shown trust in him since.

The 1953 born politician cum manager is a PhD student in Business Administration from the University of Nairobi. He has previously served as Minister of State for Public Service (2006-07).

He was an Assistant Minister of Agriculture from June 2004 to December 2005. He is also an experienced banker.