Two doctors vow to send Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama home

Nyamira gubernatorial candidate Dr James Gesami in traditional regalia before he officially launched his campaigns for the top county job on 12/06/2017.

Independent candidates who lost in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party primaries in May have launched an offensive against Nyamira Governor John Nyagarama.

Medical doctors James Gesami and John Kumenda said it would be sweet revenge in August because they lost unfairly in the primaries.

Dr Gesami launched his campaigns last week.

And while unveiling his running mate, Evans Makori, Dr Kumenda said what the governor did during the primaries indicated how desperate he was to retain his job in order to have more time “to cover up the messes perpetrated under his watch as governor”.

Divine leadership

Gesami, who has been the MP for West Mugirango, is riding on what he said were milestones in the constituency's development and said he was best placed to replace the governor.

“I have served the people of West Mugirango, including Nyagarama, for the past 10 years. Everyone can see all that I have been doing to develop local infrastructure; the revamping of health centres and even creating jobs for our young people,” Gesami said during the launch of his campaign in Sironga.

The legislator also introduced his running mate, Peter Mageto, who told the people to vote for “divine leadership that will define the destiny of Nyamira people.”

Rev Mageto is a scholar and the chairman of St Paul’s University in Nairobi County.

The candidates have capitalised on their expertise in the medical field to denounce Nyagarama’s performance in the health sector, which they feel is still in need of a stewardship.

Healthcare improved

Kumenda runs clinics in Kisii and Keroka towns while Gesami practises general medicine and healthcare administration.

But Nyagarama, who has always dismissed his opponents as weaklings, said he would defeat them by a landslide and added that he had upgraded all county roads to passable standards as well as doing a lot to uplifting the county’s agricultural production.

“Before I came to office, patients from this county were going in large numbers to Kisii for specialised treatment. But now, much of what they sought there is offered in our Nyamira Referral Hospital and we are receiving even more people from neighbouring counties,” said the governor during campaigns recently.

Others in the race for the top county job are Erneo Nyakiba (PDR), Evans Ongaga (CCM), Walter Nyambati (Jubilee Party), Mwancha Okioma (PDP), Kennedy Okong’o (NLP) and David Anasi (Wiper Party).