Bosom buddies Nyong’o and Outa turn guns on each other

Senator Fred Outa, Governor Anyang Nyongo (right) and his deputy Mathews Owili (centre) during a senatorial bid launch at Rabuor in Kisumu county on June 28 2017. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

When they won their seats in the 2017 elections, Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and Senator Fred Outa were best of friends.

They shared campaign platforms and jointly regaled in their victories. Mr Outa, in his various pre and post-election comments, even hinted that the deal between him and Prof Nyong’o was to share the government on a 50-50 basis, with the Senator getting the bonus of succeeding Nyong’o at the end of his term.

“It does not matter when Nyong’o’s term ends. The baseline is that I will be the next Kisumu governor,” Outa said in various political forums.

Audit report

But barely eight months into their tenures, the two are now bitter enemies, with Outa accusing Nyong’o of reneging on an agreed MoU.

Nyong’o, he says, has kept him away from the centre of power. Outa has termed Nyong’o a dictator and betrayer who “used him to win the election and dumped him”. The senator has promised Nyong’o a battle to the end, his first salvo being the release of his first audit report on the governor’s leadership.

The straw that broke the camel’s back for the senator was the sacking of county Chief of Staff Patrick Ouya, an Outa nominee, over what Nyong’o termed “gross misconduct unbefitting of a public officer”.

Nyong’o had accused Ouya of threatening to shoot him.

Ouya is a close ally of Outa, and was part of Nyong’o’s campaign team ahead of the August 2017 polls. With his sacking two weeks ago, Outa feels Nyong’o is targeting his allies in the county government against their pre-election agreement.

“Everybody in Kisumu knows Nyong’o and I formed ‘Team Kali’ which delivered his victory. And we will not be party to the adage where people use others to ascend to power and then betray them,” said Outa.

“Our aim was to give Kisumu the best. Ranguma is my brother but I campaigned against him because I was not after my personal interest. I invested my own resources for this cause, but I have been quiet because I have been accused of over-indulging in county affairs. But consequences are coming.”

Contacted for a comment, Nyong’o replied in a short text; “That is all nonsense.”

His head of press Alloyce Ager downplayed any bad blood between the two, saying each of the leaders have their roles as provided for in the law.

“Ouya’s sacking is an administrative matter which lies squarely in the purview of the governor,” said Ager.

‘Personal friends’

He said Outa has a platform at the Senate to summon and interrogate the governor or reach out to him personally “since they are personal friends”. “Any misunderstanding between Outa and otherquarters have nothing to do with the governor. The governor is working on a structure for consultation, which will bring together the people of Kisumu,” he said.

According to Ager, Outa was expected to work for the county at the national level (in the Senate) while Nyong’o was to oversee county matters.

Meanwhile, sources close to Nyong’o have accused Outa of frustrating the governor. They say the Senator has infiltrated the county assembly with the aim of ousting the governor.

A source claimed Outa has been holding night meetings with a section of MCAs to plot how to destabilise Nyong’o.

Outa termed these claims rumours peddled by those misleading Nyong’o.

“I keep hearing that my hand is in everything that is not going well in the county government. How many hands do I have to be in every department in Nyong’o’s government? If there are questions raised about his leadership, let him respond instead of dragging my name in every huddle he faces,” he said.

Outa served as Nyando MP between 2007 and 2017, before trying his luck in the Senatorial race. In 2017, he teamed up with Nyong’o, who also hopped from his senatorial position to seek the governor’s seat.

Last week, MCAs were hauled up in a plot to impeach two County Executive Members over what they termed issues touching on their conduct.