Huge task ahead for re-elected Governor Wilber Ottichilo

Re-elected Governor Wilber Ottichilo. [File, Standard]

Re-elected Governor Wilber Ottichilo has a long list of projects that he needs to finish. Residents want him to finish some of the flagship projects he launched 2017 and 2022 and initiate others.

"We expect better health services, water and good roads and infrastructure. I don't expect to hear him lament on pending bills as he did in his first term because the bills have been paid," said John Aradi, a resident of Vihiga.

The governor has to keep the promises he made in 2017 but was unable to in his first term due to a debt he inherited from the first county government.

"When I came into office, we had over Sh1.7 billion in pending bills," said Ottichilo in a previous interview.

Even with the debt, Ottichilo said his administration kept 71 per cent of his promises.

"During my installation as governor, I was to implement my manifesto that focused on improving socio-economic status of the people of Vihiga," said Ottichilo.

Speaking after the August 9 win, he promised to finalise pending projects and initiate new ones to ensure the county grows.

He said that his administration will finish the construction of Vihiga County Referral Hospital and upgrade all the five sub-county hospitals.

"We have all the services in this facility but in my next government we want to expand them, and also we want to turn this county hospital into a referrals-only facility," said Ottichilo.

Also in his in-tray is be the construction of the granite and waste management factories, Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Hamisi, and upgrading Luanda and Hamisi centers to municipalities

In education, Ottichilo pledged to expand Early Child Development Education (ECDE) centres and technical training colleges and issue bursaries to needy students.

In the agriculture sector, the governor said his administration will construct cold rooms for farmers to store their produce and support milk cooperative societies.

His performance will also depend on his working relationship with his deputy, Wilberforce Kitiezo.

Dr Patrick Saisi was Ottichilo's deputy from 2017, but was dropped after strained relations between them hindered service delivery.